Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has said bandits freely buy weapons such as AK-47 and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) in the market and that individuals should be allowed to do so to protect themselves.
The governor, who stated this at a media chat yesterday in Abuja, said State Governors should not be blamed for the security challenges bedevilling their States, noting that they are called chief security officers without the authority to command the military forces, the police and other security agencies to deal with security issues in their states.
Governor Radda, who asked the Federal Government to play a more critical role in the security of lives and property in the country, said his administration had legally established a community watch corps to deal with banditry in conjunction with the military.
The Governor said bandits are hardened criminals, who must be eliminated in Katsina, stressing that his administration would not leave any stone unturned in ensuring they were crushed.
He said some traditional rulers in the State were under probe over their alleged romance with bandits, stressing that whoever found to be a sponsor or ally of bandits would not be spared no matter how highly placed.
