Your failed amnesty programmes worsened banditry in Katsina, activist blasts Masari

. .It’s a lie, Gov’s aide-

BY ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina

Political and human rights activist, Abdulmumini Shehu Sani, has said that there is still no cause for Sallah celebrations in Katsina State because insurgency and general insecurity have worsened after the state’s failed amnesty programmes.

In his Sallah message to the people of Katsina, Sani said that: “2016 security agencies and vigilante almost crushed armed bandits operating in the Rugu Forest, but the Katsina State government obstructed the anti-banditry operation by introducing amnesty for the bandits.

“The amnesty program had two problems, first, it did not collect the arms and ammunition from the bandits; and secondly, it banned vigilante members from operating. The armed bandits requested that the state government should ban vigilante from operating, and Governor Aminu Bello Masari agreed to their demand by banning vigilante members from operating.

“Banning the vigilante made it impossible for JTF (Joint Task Force) collaboration between security agencies and vigilante members.”

This policy, he claimed, empowered the armed bandits and enabled them to regroup, and when they became stronger they continued the banditry operation and kidnapping despite the amnesty program in place.

According to the human rights crusader, the bandits and terrorists had destroyed hundreds of villages and sent people packing from their houses, farms and businesses.

He also disclosed that the second amnesty Programme came in 2019 when security agencies were succeeding in their fight against the bandits and kidnappers.

Sani alleged that the bandits again approached the state government and begged the Governor to reintroduce the amnesty program.

“Still, the state government did not learn from its past mistake, and in August 2019, Governor Masari reintroduced Amnesty for the bandits without dispossessing them of their weapons. The state government also reiterated its position of making vigilante operations illegal.

“Governor Masari even went ahead to release convicted bandits from prison. It took several years to convict and imprison those hardened criminals, yet he still released them from prison,” he lamented.

He explained that by before long, these bandits continued killing and abducting innocent people, stealing livestock and destroying villages and farmlands, saying “by granting Amnesty to the bandits and banning vigilante members from operating, the Katsina state government has encouraged armed banditry and kidnapping in the state.”

Describing hunger an epidemic in the state, the erstwhile governorship hope of former National Conscience Party (NCP) in the state said: “On every major street in Katsina, you see people on long queues collecting food from philanthropists. Last two years, about eight people died in a stampede on a queue to collect food at the house of Alhaji Dahiru Mangal.”

He noted that every morning, afternoon and evening, men, women and children trekked long distances to join the food queue at Batsari Junction, GRA, behind PDP office, at Kerau or Dahiru Mangal’s House, among others in the state capital.

“There are hundreds of feeding points opened by good Samarithans in Katsina and other parts of the state, to cushion the effect of hunger on the citizens. This hunger pandemic is caused by so many factors such as poverty, insecurity, corruption, stealing, squandamania, embezzlement, and wasteful spending of money from the public treasury.”

He called on well meaning Nigerians from all parts of the country and international humanitarian agencies to bring food aid to Katsina to cushion the effect of the hunger pandemic that is ravaging our people.

His words: “It is imperative to call on Nigerians to intensify prayers, to pray for an end to hunger and insecurity. It is also duty bound on all the people of Katsina state and Nigerians to get their PVCs ready ahead of the 2023 general elections.”

He expressed condolence to the families of many indigenes of the state that were murdered in cold blood by armed bandits.

“I also extend my sympathy to the  thousands of internally displaced persons that are living under harsh conditions that include hunger and starvation with no hope of going back to their families. “Their villages are still being occupied by the bandits and they have no chance to resettle or go back to their farms.

“It is also sad and very disturbing that cases of armed banditry and kidnapping are spreading to major towns such as Katsina, Dustinma, Malumfashi, Funtua and Kankara. Tudun ‘Yan Lihidda and behind FMC in Katsina metropolis were attacked recently by the bandits. “Moreso, earlier this week, a Police Area Commander was killed and the President’s Advance convoy was attacked by the bandits in Dustinma,” he wrote

Giving further insight into how armed banditry and kidnapping became monsters in Katsina, Sani said the former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should be equally held responsible for the hunger, poverty and Insecurity, adding that the PDP also failed in 16 years and the people of Kstsina should vote for a fresh alternative.

Responding, Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s aide, who pleaded anonymity, dismissed  Sani’s allegations against the governor and the abandoned amnesty programmes as unsubstantiated.

The aide, who insisted that he had no mandate to speak with the press, urged members of the public not to be misled by the falsehood of Sani considering his antecedents