Radda’s Relentless Efforts on Security: Dialogue, Deterrence, and Search for Stability
Radda’s Relentless Efforts on Security: Dialogue, Deterrence, and Search for Stability By Prof. M.K. Othman In Nigeria’s North-West, particularly Katsina State, the struggle to establish security lies in balancing dialogue and deterrence. Governor Radda’s administration has focused on managing this balance to achieve lasting stability. For over a decade, communities in Batsari, Jibia, Safana, Danmusa, Faskari, and Kankara faced persistent armed banditry. Villages were destroyed, schools closed, and farmland abandoned. The December 2020 abduction of hundreds of students in Kankara became a defining moment of crisis. When Governor Dikko Umar Radda took office in May 2023, he confronted not just insecurity, but a community traumatized by years of violence. His challenge: restore security without militarizing daily life, seek peace without legitimizing crime, and offer realistic reassurance. As the Hausa proverb notes: “When the flood overwhelms, even fish seek refuge.” In response, l...