Group backs Masari’s call to arm communities against bandits

The Arewa Network of Social Reformers (ANSR) has backed the recent call by Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, for residents to arm themselves against bandits terrorising their communities.

The group also rejected the recent call by the Katsina State Chapter of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) asking the governor to resign. According to the group’s President, Engineer Musa Idris, at a news briefing in Kaduna, the job of securing lives and properties cannot be left to government or security agencies alone.

He added that the job requires citizens’ support for security agencies, through intelligence gathering including religious, traditional and political leaders that engage more with the people to restore normalcy in the state.

“It is as a result of overwhelming evidence that prompted Governor Masari to call on the citizens to wake up and resist the bandits by acquiring arms for self-defence. We believe that if this effort is well coordinated, the offensive against banditry and Kidnapping in parts of the state will yield positive results,” he said.