From Maawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
In a significant step towards addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by banditry, the Katsina state government, in collaboration with the Federal Government, has commenced the construction of 350 houses for victims of banditry in four local government councils.
The local governments benefiting from this initiative are Dan Musa, Batsari, Dandume, and Faskari.
These areas have been particularly hard-hit by the ongoing violence perpetrated by armed bandits.
Alhaji Sa’idu Ibrahim Kogunan Jibia, the Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Victims of Banditry and Internally Displaced Persons, confirmed the commencement of the construction project during a press briefing.
He emphasized that the state government had fulfilled its obligations towards the project under the “Pulako” resettlement initiative.
Kogunan Jibia further revealed that the government is actively collaborating with development partners and donor agencies to implement more projects and programs aimed at not only resettling the internally displaced persons (IDPs) but also helping them regain their livelihoods.
One such project is the ongoing construction of a peace initiative and resilience hub in Jibia local government area.
This hub is expected to provide an enabling business environment for the people of the area who have been affected by the security challenges.
The Senior Special Assistant expressed satisfaction with the progress made by his office in addressing the challenges faced by banditry victims and IDPs.
He highlighted the government’s efforts in providing specialized support and ensuring that the voices of these vulnerable populations are heard.
Kogunan Jibia remarked that the state government had successfully saved numerous victims from losing parts of their bodies and had also provided psychosocial rehabilitation for those affected by the trauma of banditry.
Additionally, the government has taken full responsibility for treating the wounded and has offered cash assistance to those who have lost their heads of households.
