Katsina: Drug Trafficking Major Contributor to Insecurity

Katsina State Acting Governor, Faruk Lawal Jobe, has identified illicit drug trafficking as a significant contributor to the state’s insecurity and has called for federal intervention. Speaking at a town hall meeting attended by the Personal Assistant to the President on Constituency Affairs, Alhaja Khadija Omotayo Kareem, and key stakeholders, including traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, and political representatives, Jobe emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive federal strategy to combat the influx of illicit drugs.

The town hall meeting aimed to gather feedback on pressing issues affecting the state. Jobe highlighted the critical need for the completion of ongoing federal projects, such as the Kano-Katsina federal highway and the Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail line, as well as the dredging of earth dams and revitalization of social intervention programs to boost the state’s economy.

State Commissioner for Lands and Physical Planning, Dr. Faisal Umar Kaita, also spoke, pointing out various abandoned and ongoing federal projects, including the Katsina-Kano road and the expansion of Umaru Yar’adua International Airport. Kaita noted that the delay in these projects is partly due to the federal government’s failure to disburse compensation to affected landowners, despite the state government’s fulfillment of its obligations.

In response to these concerns, presidential aide Alhaja Khadija Omotayo Kareem assured that the issues raised would be presented to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prompt action. The president recently signed the North West Development Commission (NWDC) Bill, aimed at addressing infrastructure, security, and socio-economic issues in the Northwest, including Katsina.