Katsina Lawmaker Buys Arms for Constituents to Defend Against Bandits

Amid the wave of banditry ravaging Katsina State, a member of the State House of Assembly, Abubakar Muhammad, has openly admitted to purchasing firearms for his constituents to defend themselves against incessant attacks.

Muhammad, who represents Funtua Constituency and is popularly known as Total, made the disclosure during an interview with Radio France Internationale (RFI). He said he was moved to act after realizing that residents had been resorting to stones and sticks in confronting heavily armed bandits.

According to him, the bandits routinely invade communities, killing villagers, raping women and girls, and kidnapping residents for ransom.

“I was troubled when I heard residents use stones to confront bandits. That courage moved me, but it also broke me. It was then I decided to help them with arms. They told me that if they had guns, they could have reduced the level of destruction. Their plea stayed with me,” Muhammad said.

The lawmaker revealed that he bought arms for six wards in his constituency and ensured that residents received training sessions on how to handle the weapons responsibly. He emphasized that the firearms were placed under the custody of the Community Watch Corps (CWC) to prevent misuse.

Muhammad insisted that his intention was not to militarize civilians, but to give them “a fighting chance” to resist attacks while waiting for security forces to intervene.

His disclosure is expected to spark public debate on the legality and security risks of arming local communities, even as Katsina and other northern states continue to struggle with the scourge of banditry.