Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari is leading three other governors to meet with their Nigerien counterpart in Maradi State of Niger Republic over cross-border banditry and other forms of criminality.
The governors are Muhammadu Bello (Zamfara), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi).
Governor Masari’s Director General on Media and Publicity, Abdu Labaran, in a statement yesterday, said this was aimed at ending the incessant banditry affecting some local governments in the states.
“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 to their regular deadly assault targets. These assaults often result in multiple deaths and destruction of properties running into millions in worth,” he said.
“The target local government areas are Dandume, Sabuwa, Faskari, Kankara, Danmusa, Safana, Batsari and Jibiya, neighbouring the dreaded Rugu forest, he added.
“Buoyed by the obvious success of the ongoing dialogue with the local bandits, Governor Masari expressed confidence that the Maradi security talks would be no less successful, reinforcing the huge stride made in that respect in Katsina state.
“The Prefecture of Maradi, which provides the window through which smuggled arms, ammunition, foreign insurgents and bandits often sneak into Nigeria, is border to the four North Western states of Nigeria,” he added.
Maradi is a state in Niger Republic bordering Nigerian states of Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
Meanwhile, Zamfara State Governor Bello Muhammed Matawalle yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding on security with the governors of Katsina, Sokoto and Maradi in Niger Republic.
The MoU agreed to, among others, uphold the renewed efforts of the three states of Nigeria in curbing the menace of armed banditry within the borders of the states.
