By ZUBAIRU IDRIS

Gov. Dikko Radda on Friday summoned an expanded emergency security council meeting to find solutions to the current economic hardship and insecurity in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the expanded security council meeting included heads of security agencies, Emirs of Katsina and Daura, relevant government officials, religious leaders, traders associations, local government chairmen, among others.

Radda said that the meeting was aimed at taking proactive measures to avert the protests that happened in other states over intolerable economic hardship.

“It is unfortunate that prices of food items and other essential commodities have been increasing daily, hence the need for stakeholders to offer useful advises on the problem.

“I was told that foodstuffs are being transported from our markets to neighbouring countries like Niger, then to Mali and Burkina Faso, because our Naira has been depreciating while their currencies are gaining value.

“Such people are taking that opportunity at the detriment of the poor. That is a great problem which we cannot fold our arms and allow it to continue,” he said.

Radda also said the meeting would appraise the security challenges in the state, adding that bandits are targeting to attack him because of the pressure being put on them by the government and security forces.

“Security report revealed that I’m now one of their targets in the state because of the measures we are taking to deal with the situation.

“We are calling on people to organise themselves in order to protect their communities from attacks by criminals,” he added.

NAN reports that the meeting later went into close door. (NAN)