Governor of Katsina State and the Chairman of the North West Governors Forum, Dikko Radda, has harped on the need to employ the use of community intelligence in the fight against banditry in the North-West region.
Gov. Radda while addressing the audience during the North West Peace and Security Summit, organised by the NorthWest Governors Forum at the government house in Katsina on Monday, said community intelligence is one of the most efficient communication strategies, to ensure timely response to security threats in the region.
He said, “Banditry has cast a shadow over our communities. It has disrupted lives, and crippled economic activities, and instilled fear among the people. We cannot allow this menace to define our region.
“As leaders, we must adopt a multiple approach that includes robust intelligence gathering, community policing, and deployment of advanced security technologies.
“Furthermore, we must employ the capacity of our national security agencies, through continuous improvement of resources.
“To effectively combat insecurity, we must strengthen our intelligent network.
“This means improving our surveillance system, investing in modern technologies such as drones and satellite imagery, and enhancing coordination among various security agencies.
“However, addressing insecurity is not solely the responsibility of our security agencies. We must engage with local communities, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to foster a culture of cooperation and trust.
“Community engagement is crucial in gathering actionable intelligence and resilience against criminal activities”.
He explained that insecurity is always a concern, urging all to protect the region.
He added that to promote socio-economic development, the governors are also working towards the development of agriculture and power supply in the region.
The summit is themed, ‘Regional Cooperation For Securing Lives And Livelihood’.
