By Abdullahi Muhammad Sheka
Hon. Zaharaddeen Babba Mazoji has called on all security agency’s for the need to have a state of emergency especially in Matazu Local Government and neighboring communities over the current insecurity challenges in the area.
Mazoji made the call on Monday expressing serious concern about the series of attacks in all ten wards of Matazu Local Government in Katsina State.
The elder statesman believes a declaration of a state of emergency will address the problem of insecurity in Matazu and the neighboring communities.
He explained that, “over the years, parts of Matazu Local Government and its environs have been grappling with a series of criminal activities such as kidnapping, bombings of houses, and attacks on communities as a result of insurgency and banditry.
“Before now, many people have been killed in the area while millions were forced to flee their ancestral homes.”
Mazoji remainded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Political leaders as well all security agencies that bandits have continued to engage in kidnapping and all sorts of criminals and criminalities in the area noting that, Banditry and other causes of insecurity in northern Nigeria have been allowed to degenerate into a complex national emergency with dire territorial implications.
“This mirrors exactly what happened with the Boko Haram insurgency. From sporadic incidents, Boko Haram began launching systematic attacks targeted at individuals, communities and, eventually, the state.”
Mazoji Emphasises that there’s no more effective solution than forceful inland and frontier policing. Such policing must deal with the region’s peculiar circumstances of diverse borderlines, forestlands and hinterlands while it requires a tactical synergy between grassroots vigilantes and the state security operatives.
“Following the recent upsurge in banditry attacks in some parts of Matazu local Government and our dear State Katsina, we appreciate with the new steps being taken by Dikko Radda administration to contain the situation.
“As we all know, the primary objective of any state is to provide security for the lives of the people and their property. Mallam Dikko Radda devote himself to addressing the enormous and protracted security challenges faced by our dear state.”
Babba Mazoji however expressed his profound sympathies to all those who have lost their loved ones, property, and those who have been displaced and separated from their family.
“My heart goes to the women and children who have been forced to live in deplorable conditions of being widows, orphans and displaced as a result of the bandits’ constant onslaught.
“One can only imagine the constant state of misery and sleeplessness that our people of Matazu are frequently experiencing. Government must remain resolute in its efforts to contain this situation.
“Very sympathetic, villages were being raided in the most inhumane manner possible-massacres carried out, and those who survived the attacks were subjected to all forms of indignities, including rape and torture.
“Virtually all markets were closed as traders could not risk their lives to attend the markets. There was a general sense of despondency everywhere, as the entire rural economy, which is largely agrarian, had collapsed, posing the threat of starvation.
“The amazing successes of our peace efforts made by the Governor’s Radda initiative, we are appealing to other Neighboring states sharing similar experiences to emulate the Radda’s efforts in handling the insecurity challenges,” he concluded.
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