Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu has declared that governors in the North-West region will not negotiate with bandits, insisting on a unified and uncompromising stance against criminal elements terrorising the region.
Aliyu made the declaration in Katsina State during the commissioning of the N12.6 billion, 8.1-kilometre Yandaki–Shinkafi–Kofar Sauri Road, constructed by the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda.
The governor said leaders in the North-West are united in their resolve to end the insecurity bedevilling the region, noting that substantial resources are being committed by state governments to tackle banditry and other violent crimes.
“We will not negotiate with any criminal, nor will we accept any offer from them unless they surrender unconditionally”
He reassured residents that state governments, in collaboration with security agencies, are refining strategies aimed at restoring lasting peace across affected communities.
Aliyu called on citizens to support ongoing efforts by exposing informants within their communities, stressing that bandit attacks often rely on local collaboration.
“We must do the needful at the community level by remaining vigilant and monitoring the movement of suspicious individuals,” he added.
The governor further urged the people to sustain prayers for the success of measures being implemented to address insecurity in the region and across the country.
Aliyu commended Governor Radda for pioneering the establishment of the State Community Guard, designed to complement conventional security agencies in the fight against banditry.
“I recall that immediately after witnessing the inauguration of the Katsina State Community Guard, I returned to Sokoto State and established our own Community Guard Corps”
He described the initiative as impactful and capable of delivering tangible results, while also praising Radda, who chairs the North-West APC Governors’ Forum, for providing quality leadership in the region.
The renewed stance by the governors comes amid persistent security challenges across parts of the North-West, with authorities intensifying coordinated responses to curb the menace.
