Katsina State

Abuja The governor of Katsina, Aminu Masari, on Tuesday, said the state government would no longer negotiate a peace agreement with the dreaded, rampaging armed bandits who are killing innocent civilians in the state.

“The armed bandits have betrayed our trust in them, following a peace agreement earlier negotiated with them, in our quest to find a lasting peace in the state,” Mr Masari told BBC Hausa service.

The governor said despite the peace agreement entered, the bandits, in coordinated attacks with their accomplices from Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger Republic, have continued with indiscriminate killings across the state.

The governor said in 2016, his administration introduced the peace agreement and it was successful because of the positive impact it made. However, the armed bandits later betrayed the government, the governor said.

He said there are unrepentant bandits, they are the ones carrying on with the attacks. Now, it is the security agents that can negotiate with the bandits, he added.

“We chose peace dialogue for peaceful coexistence in the state and we have done our best; yet, the attacks continue,” Mr Masari said.

“As a result of the peace agreement, the government banned vigilante groups and identified cattle routes and facilitated free movements of bandits to convey their livestock in the markets.

“The Federal Government has deployed more troops with at least five fighter jets that would work between Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto. However, the security agents are complaining of (a) dearth of logistics to help them fight the bandits,” the governor said.

ByAuwalu Birnin Kudu

Daura (Katsina state) – The Daura Local Government Area of Katsina state says the newly established Daura modern market had the potential of generating N25 million revenue per annum.

Malam Abba Mato, the council chairman, made the disclosure in Daura on Friday when he paid inspection visit to the market located in the metropolis.

He said his administration inherited the project which comprised 300 shops, stores makeshifts, and slaughter slab, stressing that the council had invested N15 million to complete it.

Mato also said the council had inaugurated a 14- man committee, under the chairmanship of the council secretary, Laminu Gidado, with the mandated to allocate shops and makeshifts to traders who indicated interest.

He also said that the committee was expected to peg and determine the annual fee per shop or  makeshift allocated to an individual or group of traders.

Mato promised that the council would provide maximum security in the facility.

“The modern market is expected to operate every day, “he said

The chairman disclosed that efforts were being made to construct 100 additional shops in the Daura weekly market which operates on Wednesdays.

He said plots of land had since been allocated, free of charge to traders willing to develop them into shops and makeshifts with a view to expanding the market and generating additional revenue.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the councilor in charge of revenue, Alhaji Danladi Me Mai, directors and other officials of the council accompanied the chairman during the inspection. (NAN)

Daura (Katsina state) – Alhaji Danladi Me-mai, the Councilor-in- charge of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in Daura Local Government Council in Katsina State, says the council has earmarked N12 million to complete and renovate the 300-shop central market in the area.

Me-mai said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Daura, on Monday.

He said the market, when completed, would have potential of providing 500 jobs to the people of the area, especially traders, loaders and other people who would use the facility.

Me-mai added that his department had improved the revenue base of the council through various revenue generating initiatives, stressing that workers were working round the clock to explore other sources of revenue.

He said that the revenue were being used judiciously to provide social services to the people, stressing that all revenue leakages had been  blocked and accountability instilled.

The council member commended the state government for regular release of development funds to the area which enabled it to execute some important projects.

He also lauded the efforts of the Council Chairman, Malam Abba Mato, for instilling accountability, transparency and division of responsibility in the day-to-day running of the council.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the local council recently procured and distributed traffic jackets to 3,000 commercial motor cyclists to enhance revenue and promote security in the area.

(NAN)