Writing By Ismai’l Adamu; Editing By Godwin Duru
Katsina State Governor, Dr. Dikko Radda, has commissioned another set of 200 Community Watch Corps members to further drive the state government’s community-driven approach to tackling banditry and kidnapping.
The latest recruitment brings the total number of community watch personnel to 2,100, deployed to twenty local government areas to assist security personnel with surveillance, intelligence gathering and combat operations.
Speaking during the passing-out parade in Katsina, Governor Radda pointed out that the CWC personnel were recruited from the frontline and vulnerable local government areas and deployed to serve in their respective communities where they are familiar with the terrain.
“This ceremony is proof that the state government will not relent in fighting insecurity and banditry wherever they exist, those who wish to return to crime will face the full force of the law.
“You are entrusted not only with maintaining security but also with representing the shared goals of a peaceful and prosperous Katsina State, it is therefore essential to uphold integrity, professionalism, and respect for human rights at all times,” he tasked the new officers.
Radda commended the Nigerian Armed Forces, Police and DSS operatives for their commitment and sustained synergy with local authorities and community members in the affected local government areas.
In a remark, Chairman of the Standing Committee on the Katsina State Community Watch Corps, Major General Junaidu Bindawa (Rtd), explained that the CWC recruits underwent rigorous training in physical combat, weapon handling, communication, arrests, community policing, intelligence gathering and general rules of engagement.
He said the community watch personnel were “specifically trained to work closely with security agencies” to secure their communities pointing out that they were also trained on legal procedures involved in making arrests.
He noted that judging from Katsina’s success story, his team has been invited to train similar community watch outfits in Zamfara and Kano States, making Katsina a model for community policing in the northwest zone.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Danmusa, explained that the latest batch of CWC personnel will be deployed to Kankia and Dutsin-Ma Local Government Areas with fifty officers assigned to each of the two LGAs.
He said an addition 100 personnel were recruited as replacement for those that lost their lives during confrontation with bandits and those that have absconded.
Ismail Adamu
