In Katsina State, kidnapping is rampant in 8 local government areas of Jibia, Dandume, Faskari, Sabuwa, Danmusa, Safana, Kankara and Batsari. These councils border the dreaded Rugu forest which serves as hideout for bandits.
Recently, however, the kidnappings have extended to Dutsinma, Kurfi, Funtua and even Katsina metropolis.
The rise is said to be fallout of the insecurity in neighbouring Zamfara State, which also borders the forest.
There’s hardly a day without reported case(s) of kidnapping in these areas.
Some recent cases include in Batsari LGA -where five people including a breast feeding mother and her four-month-old baby were kidnapped; in Danmusa – where the daughter of the state Assembly Chief whip, Amina Danmusa, was abducted; in Jibia LGA, where Dr M.J Yusuf’s two children were kidnapped.
Recently, a notorious cattle rustler, armed robber and kidnapper was nabbed in the state. The police say there’s been a manhunt for him.
The suspect, Ibrahim Muwange, 35, was nabbed at Dayi, Malumfashi LGA of the state.
The police command spokesman SP Gambo Isah, who confirmed that the suspect been on their wanted list in connection with various cases of cattle rustling, kidnapping, culpable homicide and armed robbery,
said the suspect has been terrorising communities and residents of Danmusa, Malumfashi, Safana and Batsari LGAs of Katsina State. An AK 47 rifle No- NH 9634 was recovered from him.
As part of measures to stem the menace, the state governor, Aminu Masari, according to his spokesman Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, is expected to sign a new law prescribing life sentence for kidnappers as well as prohibiting bail for anyone arrested for the offence.
He said the measure was necessary in order to bring to an end to kidnapping, which has assumed a frightening dimension all over the country.
Governor Masari challenged Fulani elders to reign in their youth, many of whom have taken to kidnapping and other violent criminal activities, warning that failure to do so may lead to the rest of the society resorting to self-help (jungle justice) against kidnappers.
He said the criminal activities of some of the Fulani youth, especially in the North West has led to the unfortunate profiling of the Fulani ethnic group, even when no ethnic group in the country is innocent of involvement in criminal activities.
He attributed the unprecedented involvement of the Fulani youth to lack of both Islamic and Western forms of education among majority of them because of their nomadic way of life, as well as the indifferent attitude of the elders to the upbringing of the youth.
