Insecurity continues to pose a serious challenge in parts of Katsina State. The pain and frustration of affected communities are real and valid. However, the recent spate of protests — notably in Bakori, Mairuwa, and earlier in Marabar-Kankara, Kankara, and Dutsinma — raises serious concerns about how citizens choose to express their grievances.
While the Bakori protest was largely peaceful, it nonetheless saw the blocking of major roads, burning of tires on highways, and disruption of vehicular movement — actions that caused significant hardship to commuters and disrupted economic activity. Just a day later, in Mairuwa, a similar protest turned tense and tragic when a protester was reportedly shot, marking a dangerous escalation.
These developments underscore the risks of allowing frustrations to spill into public disorder, no matter how genuine the grievances may be.
The Hidden Cost of Road-Blocking Protests
Across all these protest locations, a common pattern emerged: major highways were barricaded, tires were set ablaze on public roads, and innocent travelers — including traders, patients, and students — were left stranded. This kind of disruption inflicts real damage on the local economy, delays the delivery of goods and services, and deepens the suffering of ordinary people.
Moreover, such protests are vulnerable to hijack by miscreants and disgruntled elements who may use the opportunity to loot, incite violence, or settle political scores. Even peaceful intentions can quickly spiral out of control once law and order break down. This is exactly what happened in Mairuwa, where a tragic shooting occurred. No matter the cause, when protests descend into chaos, it is the common man who pays the highest price.
The Reality of Governance and Insecurity
It is important to clarify a critical point that many people overlook: state governments in Nigeria do not control the military or police. These are federally run institutions. Governors, including Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, can only support, coordinate, and supplement security operations — not command them.
Despite this constitutional limitation, Governor Radda has taken unprecedented steps to address insecurity in Katsina. When he assumed office in 2023, all 24 local government areas were affected by banditry. Today, areas such as Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, Katsina, Batagarawa, Charanchi, Bindawa, Ingawa, Kafur, Danja, and Kusada have been largely stabilized. Other LGAs, including Malumfashi, Dutsinma, Kankia, Musawa, Bakori (until recently), Funtua, Sabuwa, and Dandume, have recorded clear improvement. Only a few areas like Faskari, Kankara, Safana, and Matazu remain volatile, and even there, government intervention is ongoing.
The Katsina Community Watch Corps: A Game-Changer
In response to the security crisis, the Radda administration established the Katsina Community Watch Corps — a first-of-its-kind initiative where local operatives work alongside the Army, Air Force, Police, and vigilantes. These personnel have local knowledge and are stationed in hard-to-reach rural communities, helping gather intelligence and repel attacks.
Over 100 Watch Corps members have been killed in active service. More than 30 police officers and several soldiers have also paid the ultimate price in the ongoing effort to protect Katsina’s people. These sacrifices are a testament to the seriousness of the government’s commitment to peace and stability.
Even while recovering from a recent accident, Governor Radda continued to receive daily security briefings from top military and intelligence officials — a clear indication of his hands-on leadership in this fight.
Support, Not Sabotage
It is disheartening that while many citizens are doing their part, others are using social media to spread falsehoods, incite fear, and provoke unrest. Most troubling is that many of these individuals are unaware that their actions may be criminal under Nigerian law. The Cybercrimes Act and other existing legislation provide penalties for those who incite violence or spread false information online. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse, and law enforcement has the right to act against such behavior.
Citizens must be cautious and responsible in what they post and share. Rather than forwarding unverified claims or fueling tension, people should report credible threats to authorities via dedicated emergency hotlines.
What Katsina Needs Now
Katsina does not need blocked roads or burning tires. It does not need emotional outbursts that can be hijacked by political or criminal actors. What Katsina needs is unity, vigilance, and continued collaboration between citizens and government.
Community leaders, youth groups, religious scholars, and traditional institutions must preach peace and patience, while also holding the government accountable through lawful and constructive channels.
Conclusion: Calm Is Not Weakness — It Is Strength
The recent protests in Bakori, Mairuwa, and elsewhere are reminders that while the people have the right to demand safety, how they demand it matters. Disrupting the peace, hurting the economy, and risking lives through uncontrolled protests do not bring about security — they worsen insecurity.
Let us honor the memory of those who have died protecting us — whether soldiers, police, or local corps members — by not tearing down the very system they gave their lives to defend. Let us strengthen, not sabotage, the structures already in place.
In the battle against banditry, disorder is not resistance — it is defeat. Let us stay calm, united, and focused. Peace is possible — but only if we all work together to build it.
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