In a bid to find a lasting solution to the intractable security crisis in Katsina State, Governor Aminu Bello Masari has exchanged kidnap victims and detained bandits in the state.
According to a statement by Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, Director-General of Media, Government Government, the exercise would improve security in the troubled areas of the state.
“The rapprochement between Katsina State government and bandits, holed up in the expansive Ruga forest, which is contagious to eight local government areas in the state, has received a significant boost with the first exchange of five kidnapp victims held the bandits and nine detained bandits held by security agencies.
“The exchanges, which took place in the Katsina State Government House before Governor Aminu Bello Masari, all the security chiefs serving in the state and two representatives of the bandits, sealed pledges earlier made by both sides during a six-day peace engagement, which took place in extremely remote locations of the affected local government areas between government official, led by the Governor on the one hand, and the commanders of the bandit on the other,” the statement read.