Augustine Okezie, Katsina
KATSINA State Government on Monday insisted that it would not extend the two-day ultimatum given to bandits to embrace dialogue, release their captives, or face military onslaught.
It said although the decision was yielding response, it would sustain the pressure on those adamant.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Chairman of the Security Committee, Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa, told The Nation in an exclusive interview that the government would not soft pedal on the ultimatum despite negotiations between the repentant and unrepentant bandits resulting from the ultimatum.
While acknowledging reduction in banditry attacks, especially in the three local governments that harboured a large population of unrepentant bandits, namely Batsari, Jibia and Safana due to the ultimatum, he said quite a number of captives had been released.
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Inuwa said: “There is massive unofficial release of persons to some extent, indicating acceptance of the ultimatum we have given. They have released quite a number of people and to date, I have not heard of any case of kidnapping or cattle rustling. In fact, I also heard that they have met two or three times, including those hardened bandits such as Dangote, Dankarami, Turgid, Bosnia and so on.
“Before they were not even in talking terms, but we understand they met, where those from Katsina South promised that there wouldn’t be anybody to cross to at the state and attack.
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