KATSINA — Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has inaugurated the Katsina State Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR), Peace and Security Committee, as the state intensified efforts to strengthen community-driven approaches to tackling insecurity.
The inauguration, held at the Muhammadu Buhari House in Katsina, came as the governor also received participants of Senior Course 48 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, who were in the state on a study tour focused on community engagement and national security.
Governor Radda said the DDR initiative, established under the Office of the National Security Adviser, forms part of a nationwide framework aimed at promoting sustainable peace, rehabilitation, and coordinated security interventions across Nigeria.
“This programme has been launched across all six geopolitical zones of the country to ensure sustainable peace and development in Nigeria,” the governor said.
He noted that Katsina was selected as one of the pilot states because of its commitment to non-kinetic and community-based security strategies.
According to him, the committee will advise the government on disarmament, reintegration, peacebuilding, and security coordination, while also overseeing the profiling, rehabilitation, and reintegration of individuals willing to renounce violence.
The committee is chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Garba Faskari, and includes security officials, commissioners, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society representatives.
Speaking during the visit of the military delegation, Governor Radda stressed that insecurity cannot be resolved through force alone, noting that sustainable peace requires community participation and coordinated engagement.
“Security is not something that can be resolved overnight. It requires a thorough understanding and a coordinated approach,” he said.
The governor explained that the state adopted a community-driven security strategy after discovering that conventional security personnel were insufficient to effectively cover all vulnerable communities.
He said the establishment of the Katsina Community Watch Corps had significantly improved intelligence gathering and rapid response to attacks in rural areas.
“They understand the terrain and can respond faster. Their role in intelligence gathering and early response has significantly helped us reduce insecurity to the barest minimum,” he stated.
Radda added that many previously inaccessible communities had become safer, allowing residents to resume farming and other economic activities.
He also highlighted the role of traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups, and local communities in supporting peacebuilding efforts across the state.
Leader of the visiting delegation, K. Rabiu, said the study tour was designed to expose senior military officers to governance, development, and security realities across Nigeria.
He described Katsina as a reference point for community-driven security initiatives and praised the state government’s efforts in combining security with development programmes.
“Since our arrival, we have observed that Katsina State has become a strong reference point in community-based security initiatives,” he said.
Rabiu also commended the administration’s developmental projects in agriculture, infrastructure, and education, noting that security and development must go hand in hand.
The delegation included officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as participants from The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Liberia.
