Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina state has called on the people to rise up and defend themselves against the onslaught of banditry, enjoining them not leave the job of security to personnel alone.
The governor, who called on the citizens to stop the blame game against the federal, state governments, military, police, traditional institutions or the local councils for the security situation confronting the state, said all hands must be on the deck to tackle the challenges facing the state.
Masari stated this over the weekend at the commissioning of the Joint Security Operations Centre in Katsina.
According to Masari, “The era of blaming the military, the police and others is over. If there is any failure, we should blame ourselves now for not doing what we are supposed to do.”
The governor said security is the responsibility of all and thus the people should not surrender that responsibility to some few people who lack the manpower and capacity to challenge the security situation facing the state.
“I cannot see how more committed a police officer or a military officer can be than anyone of you. Why should I sit in my village in Masari and only be making telephone calls without doing anything?
“Every bandit, every criminal has an address, has a location like you and I. The only difference is that they have taken up arms against us.
“Do you think that we should vacate all our villages, farms, houses and surrender them to bandits and wait for a policeman from Enugu state to come and rescue me? This is ridiculous. Why?
“It is time for all of us to come out; the security agencies that are here! How many are they? This problem is not only in Katsina state, it is all over the country,” the governor said.
Masari therefore urged members of the security outfit to “go round the 34 LGAs and enlighten them on how to defend themselves.”
