The Katsina State government has convened a meeting with women on the need to live peacefully with their neighbours to curb the spate of crime in the state.
The event, which held on Sunday at the Katsina Multipurpose Women Centre, was organised by the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
Addressing participants at the meeting, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Badiyya Hassan, explained that the discussion was necessary following the alarming rate of kidnapping and other related crimes in Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna States.
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She added that it was geared towards proferring solutions on how to end kidnapping and other related crimes not only in Katsina State but in other north-western states worse hit by banditry.
According to the commissioner, the ministry is collaborating with various non-governmental organisations, particularly those dealing with Islamic activities.
She said this was to enlighten and reorient the mindsets of the Fulani women to ensure peaceful coexistence and bring long term lasting solutions to crimes in the society.
One of the Islamic women preachers and chairperson of the Da’awa Family Support Committee in the state, Hajara Isah, appealed to the Federal Government to think out of the box and declare a state of emergency in the affected states.
She said, “The first thing is that since these bandits are known and are visible, they are not devils.
“It is high time for the government to find them wherever they are and discuss with them, empower them economically and get Islamic scholars to teach them the importance of peace for them to allow peace to reign in the country, since the wanton killings has not yet stopped and the soldiers can’t handle it”.
The state government is targeting a total of nine local government areas for the pilot interactive meeting.
They include Sabuwa, Dutsinma, Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Kurfi, Kankara, Faskari, and Danmusa LGAs. Dr Hassan informed the gathering that at the end of the meeting, communique would be forwarded to the state governor, Aminu Masari, for the next line of action.
