By Francis Sardauna
The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) on Tuesday, announced that it will engage 600 persons in Safana, Batsari and Danmusa Local Government Areas of Katsina State on conflict mitigation and awareness campaign to tackle banditry and other security challenges in the state.
The Director General of the Institute, Dr. Bakut Bakut, who unveiled this while on an advocacy visit to the District Head of Safana, Alhaji Sada Rufa’i, said the beneficiaries would be drawn from Zakka, Babba Duhu and Yan-Tumaki communities within the three local governments.
Safana, Batsari and Danmusa Local Government Areas are among the eight front line councils where banditry and other nefarious crimes are predominant in Katsina State.
Bakut, represented by Mr Gabriel Jiya, noted that the engagement of the stakeholders to mitigate conflicts would bring criminality to the barest minimum and urged residents of the state to be resolute and steadfast in the fight against crimes in the state.
He said: “We are in Katsina State this week, not only to encourage those who are keeping peace but to also work on conflict mitigation and awareness campaign on security challenges within the state.
“We shall be engaging 150 people each day as from tomorrow (Wednesday) to Saturday in your communities in Safana here. At the end of the day (Saturday), we would have engaged 600 people. This engagement would bring conflicts and criminality to the barest minimum in the state.”
He explained that the institute is not unaware of the security challenges affecting the country, particularly in rural communities and would continue to engage security agencies, traditional and religious rulers and other critical stakeholders to tackle the carnage in Katsina State and the nation in general.
While urging those waging war against insecurity to redouble their efforts to mitigate the security challenges confronting the state, Bakut said IPCR under his watch has established additional 10 zonal offices across the country to stem conflicts.
Responding, the District Head of Safana, Alhaji Rufa’i, applauded the institute for chosing his domain to educate his subjects on conflict mitigation and vowed to provide the needed support to achieve the desired results.
Earlier, the member representing Safana-Batsari-Danmusa at the House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Dayyabu Safana, announced the donation of N60 million foodstuffs and cash to his constituents in order to assuage their sufferings orchestrated by bandits and kidnappers.
