A five-city blitz by the Presidency to mobilise residents in locations targeted by bandits to bond with security forces to repel attacks moved to Katsina yesterday.

Leading the charge, Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola appealed to residents to support federal security forces with intelligence and civil networks assuring that the Federal Government has men and materials to win the war against bandits.

His words: “Our pledge to you here today is that we are ready and committed to this mission. As we all know, no military campaign can succeed without the co-operation and support of the people.”

With him on the mass mobilisation campaign are the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi, and heads of the agencies under the ministry.

Flagging off the campaign in Maiduguri, Borno State on Tuesday, Aregbesola, had, in a passionate speech, canvassed popular participation in the government’s effort to crush insurgents.

According to him, “The insurgents and other criminals who are disturbing us, are not ghosts but humans, nevertheless, they are a tiny minority. They can never withstand united and determined people who take their security seriously.”

Lending his voice to the appeal in Katsina, Police Affairs Minister Dingyadi pledged President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to defeat banditry in the country.

He condoled the families of victims of banditry.

Responding, Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari pledged the state government’s to the renewed offensive against kidnapping and other forms of banditry.

Commending President Buhari for embarking on the mobilisation drive, he assured that the people of Katsina will throw their weight behind the offensive.

A statement by the Director of Press, Ministry of Interior, Mohammed Manga listed resolutions adopted at the forum as the cultivation of forests used by bandits for agriculture, integration of community groups into the support system and more federal presence in the state.

•PHOTO: From Left: Police Affairs Minister, Mohammed Dingyadi, Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola and Katsina State Governor Masari at the stakeholders forum, Katsina

Update news