The Katsina State Government has deployed 1,456 personnel of the Katsina State Community Security Watch Corps (KSWC) to the eight local councils facing severe security challenges, to complement security agencies’ efforts to combat banditry and related criminality.
According to report, they were deployed to Batsari, Faskari, Jibia, Dandume, Danmusa, Kankara, Sabuwa and Safana. Katsina is among the states faced with security challenges brought about by activities of terrorists, kidnappers, and rustlers.
At a graduation ceremony to commission the first batch of 1,456 trainees that will serve in the corps, Governor Radda said the trainees were drilled by military and police officers in the art of intelligence gathering and combat to enable them face the bandits
The first batch of the corps was deployed after intensive two-month training, by military experts, in intelligence gathering, weapon handling, and security-civilian relations, among others.
He regretted that 24 out of the 34 Local Government Areas of the state were battling with one form of security challenge or the other which informed the resolve by the state government to come up with proactive measures to face the menace.
The occasion was attended by former President Muhammadu Buhari and six other governors from the Northwest geopolitical zone and Governor Mai-mala Buni of Yobe State.
Meanwhile, after the event, the Northwest State governors held a closed-door security meeting at the Government House in Katsina.
.The state government also handed over 68 Hilux vehicles and motorcycles to members of the Community Watch Corps to ease their patrol into nooks and crannies of their communities.
He explained that the community watch corps members were selected from each ward across the Local Government Areas that have been battling with armed banditry and other security challenges in the state.
The governor tasked them to be proactive and combat-ready and to liaise closely with the police, military, DSS, and civil defence operatives in surveillance, information sharing, and confrontation with bandits, kidnappers, informants, armed robbers and other criminals.
