A prominent chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Katsina State, Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, has refuted reports that security operatives killed 400 bandits in Danmusa Local Government Area, describing the claim as false and baseless.
Hikaya Newspaper reports that Inuwa made the statement while reacting to reports allegedly released by the Katsina State Government.
Dr. Inuwa explained that immediately after hearing that the government announced the killing of 400 bandits in the area, he contacted some residents of the affected villages to verify the authenticity of the claim. He said the residents informed him that no such attack or killing took place, stating that “the rumors circulating in the media are not true.”
According to the former Secretary to the Katsina State Government during an Interview with Hikaya TV, “security matters should not be politicized.” He lamented that “it is unfortunate that some authorities release unverified claims of success instead of focusing on improving security and ensuring peace for the people.”
Dr. Inuwa stated that based on his findings, the report issued by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs was false. “I personally called the Governor of Katsina State and informed him that the report was untrue,” he said. “The Governor himself appeared convinced by what I told him and expressed concern over the misleading report.”
He added that he advised the Governor to request photographic evidence of the alleged corpses from the Nigerian Air Force to verify the authenticity of the claim. Inuwa also urged the Governor to summon councillors and the Chairman of Danmusa Local Government to brief him on the actual situation. “If indeed 400 bandits were killed in the Danmusa forest, then certainly the area would have become completely silent—but there has been no such confirmation,” he emphasized.
However, according to Inuwa, the Commissioner for Security later claimed that the Governor had verified and confirmed the government’s report to be true. “This is surprising,” he said. “If the government seeks praise from the public through false reports, why not focus on protecting the lives and property of citizens instead? Politicizing security issues only worsens the situation. That is why I refrain from frequent comments on insecurity, because the government often perceives such remarks as political opposition,” Dr. Mustapha Inuwa stated.