Shettima Reveals Reason For Banditry, Kidnapping In Northwest

Vice President, Kashim Shettima has said poor governance contributes to the spate of banditry and kidnapping in the northwest geopolitical zone.

Naija News reports that Shettima made this known when he hosted the Coalition of Northern States’ Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (CONSCCIMA) at the presidential villa in Abuja.

The coalition was led by its president, Dalhatu Abubakar, as they discussed with Shettima about issues of insecurity affecting the seven northwest states, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

Specifically, Zamfara, Katsina, and Sokoto have been hotbeds of banditry, resulting in recent abduction and killing of residents.

The vice president said re-engineering and re-strategizing affairs in the north is necessary to reposition the region for accelerated development.

He added that the ‘Pulaku initiative’ is a measure to tackle the issue of insecurity, which cannot be divorced from the point of governance.

He said, “Stakeholders in the entire north have to go back to the drawing board, re-assess the state of affairs in the region, and come up with robust platforms for re-engineering our society.

“It is imperative for the north to embark on the re-strategizing and re-engineering of the region to reposition it for accelerated development.

“Most of the issues highlighted by the president of CONSCCIMA are very poignant, as these are issues that touch the lives and wellbeing of our people.

“There can never be development without peace, and there can never be peace without development.

“Especially in the northwest through the Pulaku initiative. The Pulaku initiative is a robust solution to addressing the challenges in the northwest.

“It is a solution aimed at addressing the challenges of banditry, kidnapping, and the situation in the northwest, which cannot be divorced from the issue of governance.