Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, on Saturday, took the ongoing dialogue campaign with bandits and kidnappers in the state to the neighbouring Niger Republic as part of his desire to find a lasting end to the often recurring deadly banditry attacks which has turned some parts of Katsina State into a slaughterhouse of sorts,
A press release which was signed by the Director-General, Media, Mr. Labaran Malumfashi and made available to newsmen in katsina said the governor is expected to engage his counterpart in the Prefecture of Maradi, Niger Republic, Alhaji Zakari Umaru.
The release further stated that Governor Masari is leading three fellow Nigerian Governors: Muhammadu Bello Matawallin of Zamfara State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Senator Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi states, respectively.
The release stated ’the meeting will also address the issue of cross border banditry and other forms of criminality’’
“This is coming in tandem with his ongoing reconciliation overtures with ‘commanders’ of the various disparate camps of the bandits who have turned eight of the 34 local government areas in the state their regular deadly assault targets. These assaults often result in multiple deaths and destruction of properties running into millions in worth.’’
“These target local government areas are Dandume, Sabuwa, Faskari, Kankara, Danmusa, Safana, Batsari and Jibiya, all contagious to expansively famous Rugu forest’’.
Meanwhile, Governor Masari, who has been buoyed by the successes recorded by ongoing rapprochement with the local bandits, has expressed confidence that the Maradi security talks would be no less successful; reinforce the huge strides made in Katsina State so far.