Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umar Radda, has issued a stirring call to the people of the state, urging them to take up arms and defend themselves against the persistent threat of banditry. Speaking in Daura during a town hall meeting titled ‘Public Engagement: 2025 Citizens’ Budget Participation Process,’ the governor expressed his frustration with the ongoing insecurity and acknowledged the government’s failure to provide adequate protection for its citizens.
Radda, who was elected under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), did not mince words as he addressed the gathered audience. In a video that has since gone viral on social media, the governor’s anger was palpable. “It is unfortunate that a few bandits or gunmen can raid and abuse an entire community,” he said. “Even the bandits themselves are afraid of death.”
Governor Radda provided some stark figures, revealing that the terrorists operating in Katsina State possess only around 700 rifles. However, he lamented that despite their limited firepower, small groups of emaciated and malnourished bandits continue to terrorize communities with impunity. “Three famished bandits are able to hunt down 1,000 people while we sit helplessly, some of us hiding under our beds,” he stated with frustration.
He directed a poignant question to the religious leaders present, referencing Islamic teachings on self-defense. “Members of the clergy are here, and it’s mandatory upon them to convey Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s message concerning a robber that comes after your life or wealth. What did God command you to do?” Radda asked, underscoring the religious duty to defend oneself and one’s family.
The governor did not shy away from speaking about the psychological and social impact of the banditry crisis. He condemned the humiliation of allowing bandits to violate communities without resistance, emphasizing the disgrace of witnessing loved ones being harmed while feeling powerless. “What humiliation! A situation where you stand idly watching while your wife or daughter is being raped? What is the essence of being alive thereafter? Death is more honorable than some kinds of humiliation,” Radda declared, making an impassioned plea for communities to rise up and resist.
In his speech, Radda pointed out that communities known to resist bandits are often spared from attacks, as the criminals avoid those they know are battle-ready. He urged residents to mobilize in large numbers whenever bandits strike. “Anytime five or ten of them raid your community, and you mobilize like 500 people, before they eliminate five persons, you would have tamed them – whoever they are.”
He added that the bandits’ power lies in psychological warfare, and their true nature is far less formidable than what they project. “It is just a façade…they are runaways and are more afraid of death than we are. They only want to instill fear and anxiety in us.”
