Banditry: Masari to shut down telecoms services in three LGAs

By FRANCIS SARDAUNA

•Bans commercial phones charging points in 19 LGs

The Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has said his administration was considering the need to shut down telecoms services in Funtua, Bakori and Malumfashi Local Government Areas of the state as part of fresh measures to contain banditry in the state.

The governor disclosed this Monday while inaugurating a committee on monitoring and enforcement of security challenges (Containment) order he recently signed at the Government House.

Masari, also announced the ban of commercial mobile phone charging points in 19 out of 34 local government areas of the state, saying, “We believe it’s also an area that is helping the bandits to acquire means of communication.”

He explained that the security measures taken by the state government would affect residents economically but it was neccessary to take them in order to restore normalcy and stop bandits and their collaborators from having access to communication and other means of livelihood.

His words: “We believe with this and other further measures that we are taking with the Federal Ministry of Communication, would also help in restoring normalcy to our respective communities.

“Further instructions and directives affecting Funtua, Malumfashi and Bakori Local Government Areas are coming today (Monday). We have to restrict the sale of fuel in these local governments as well. And we are looking at the possibility of curbing further communications in these local governments.

“The security measures taken by the state government might hurt residents economically but it is neccessary to take this now to forestall worse situation if these bandits and their collaborators are allowed free access to communication and other means of livelihood”.

According to the governor, “It is important we realise that our number one enemies are informants. So, we must tackle and deal with them in accordance with the law”.

He, however, enumerated the terms of reference of the committee to include monitoring and ensuring compliance of the Containment Order, coordinate its enforcement by three-tiers security structures in the local governments affected by the order.

The committee, he said, would also submit periodic progress report to the state government as well as identify and bring out emerging challenges for government consideration.

(THISDAY)