Governor of Katsina state, Aminu Masari has disclosed that there are more than 150 groups of bandits who have sworn allegiance to different leaders.
According to Masari, seven states in the north-west and north-central have agreed to recruit 3,000 special vigilantes to assist in combating banditry and kidnapping.
The governor also stated that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) will train the vigilantes, who will provide assistance to security agencies.
This was stated on Tuesday by Aminu Masari when the minister of information, Lai Mohammed paid a courtesy visit to the state.
He said the governors of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, and Nasarawa states had agreed to recruit the special vigilantes.
“I am not speaking for myself, but on behalf the governors of the above-mentioned states,” he said.
“In fact, they are supposed to be at this consultative meeting we are holding here in Katsina, but I am speaking on their behalf.
“The issue of banditry in the North West and parts of North Central has transformed to insurgency, therefore, we developed different mechanisms to fight the menace.
“There are over 150 groups of bandits in the forests that owed allegiance to their different leaders.
“These people don’t have ideology, religion or sense of direction, they are just like wild animals.”
The governor added that the fight against insecurity should be a collective effort while calling on Nigerians to always provide support for the security agencies.
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