Insecurity: Katsina decry cost of military operation, says N4bn spent in 6 years

Katsina state government has lamented bearing the cost of military operations in which over N4.27bn was spent in the last six years.

The Secretary to Katsina state government told a briefing on Monday that Katsina was left to bear alone the cost–allowances, logistics, repair operation vehicles–of military campaigns.

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“Except of course purchase of ammunition and recruitment of personnel, virtually everything is moved to the state to handle. The allowances which is on monthly basis, everything of all operations. This is a serious burden,” he said.

He said the State Government’s financial support on security through his Office in terms of infrastructure, logistics and security personnel allowances from June, 2015 to August, 2020, was a total of N4.273 billion.

Inuwa said since 2015 the State Government had been deploying different strategies with a view to bringing the menace of insecurity in the State to an end which include peace deals and amnesty, but the problem persisted due to dishonesty on the parts of the bandits.

The SSG said some of the measures which include Dialogue and Amnesty Programme with repentant cattle rustlers, re-demarcation of cattle routes, Bilateral Engagement with neighbouring Niger Republic and other security interventions all yielded positive results at times but failed at other times that the government had to resort to the current military campaign as ordered by the Federal government.

Dr Inuwa said with the State Government’s sustained logistics support, the battle has been taken to the bandits and their atrocities have significantly subsided.

He said the fight against banditry and other forms of criminality in the region will take a long time so long as there is no synergy between the security forces as well as unified and simultaneous action by all the affected states.

He stressed the importance of disarmament in the process if the fight was to succeed saying leadership among bandits made worst by illiteracy and drugging, saying leaders were respected based on the number of weapons they possessed.