Concern has been expressed by Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda regarding the effects of insecurity in eight local government districts within the state.
During the opening of an 18-month European Union-funded program on conflict prevention, crisis response, and resilience in Katsina on Monday, he named the impacted LGAs as Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, Kankara, Safana, Sabuwa, Faskari, and Dandume.
According to Radda, thousands of people have been displaced, farmlands have been abandoned, and schools and marketplaces have had to close due to bandit attacks and intercommunal conflicts.
Elders have left their ancestral homes, parents have buried their children, and children have been kept out of school in these communities. “These security and humanitarian challenges are unprecedented,” he stated.
He went on to say that resource-based conflicts are being exacerbated by drought, desertification, declining farmlands, and antiquated land use practices.
He also cites rising youth unemployment and economic stagnation as contributing factors. According to Radda, his administration has chosen to deal with insecurity through dialogue and negotiation. He mentioned that community-led peace agreements have been successful in Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, and Kurfi LGAs, and that discussions are still going on in Kankara and Safana.
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