The District Head of Batsari, in Katsina State, Tukur Mu’azu, said his subjects would rather to die from coronavirus than be killed by rampaging bandits.
Mu’azu made the comments in reaction to the recent wave of attacks and killing of innocent villagers in several communities at Ruma and Batsari Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State.
The district head’s position was contained in a short video, obtained by PRNigeria.
He posited that the rising insecurity in Katsina was worse than the threat of COVID-19.
“My people will prefer to die from coronavirus infection. Not from these senseless killings orchestrated by bandits. So far, the deadly pandemic has not claimed any life in Batsari and other neighbouring local government areas (LGAs), but the bandits have killed scores of harmless villagers and residents. So, what are we saying?”
Mu’azu, while speaking to PRNigeria during a phone chat, said the bandits after invading over 10 communities, at old and new Ruma, killed and maimed several people.
He said several cattle and other livestock animals were also rustled by the bandits.
The district head told PRNigeria: “The thing is, the bandits always scatter themselves when going on operations at our villages. Hence, security personnel find it difficult sometimes to easily contain the bandits’ attacks.
However, we are still calling on the federal government to deploy more soldiers, mobile policemen and fighter helicopters to Katsina. Let them comb all the forests in our state, and eliminate these bandits.”
READ ALSO: Buhari Condemns Killing Of 47 Persons By Bandits In Katsina
Also, speaking on the floor of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Mustapha Jibiya, blamed the “irresponsibility and insensitivity” of relevant stakeholders for the growing insecurity in the state.
“It is very disturbing that from eight local government areas, we now have about 12 local governments that are ravaged by the criminally-minded bandits. This is as a result of the insensitivity of both the state and federal government,” he said.
Mr Jibiya, while speaking further in Hausa during the plenary session, warned that the precarious situation will snowball to a dangerous level, if no concrete action is taken by the government to stem the tide of the bloody attacks.
He said: “If the relevant authorities and government fail to act now, the situation will soon get out of hand, and it will be difficult for us to then handle.”
The lawmaker, who firmly insisted that both the federal and Katsina State Government have failed to provide security for citizens, disclosed that his constituents now prefer to call on the Nigerien security forces for help when in distress.
“My constituents are quick to seek the assistance of the Nigerien troops immediately they are under attack. They feel at home with them. And this is because the Nigerien troops will swiftly come to their rescue. It is unfortunate that our people are being killed, yet Mr. President and Governor of Katsina State have remained docile. They have refused to tackle the insecurity conundrum in our dear State headlong.
What is wrong with this kind of leadership? After Maiduguri, Kastina is the next slaughter slab in the country,” Mr Jibiya said.
