The rising cases of phone snatching in Katsina State have continued to cause restlessness and panic among residents of the state. Residents are now forced to limit their movement and become watchful about where they go to avoid the crime hotspot areas where these miscreants usually hang around looking for potential victims.
While writing this report, I gathered that the criminals operate in the major cities, in solitary areas and sometimes operate inside tricycles commonly called 'Keke NAPEP'. Several people have become victims of the attack and sustained various degrees of wounds in separate attacks carried out by the hooligans.
A woman who pleaded anonymity narrated that she was attacked at Sobo Layi in Katsina. According to her, some of the hoodlums brought out knives and attacked, injuring her and snatching her phone. She expressed worry over what she interpreted as becoming rampant, according to testimonies of most of the people that visited to sympathise with her.
However, there were also several instances of people posting comments on social media about the increasing widespread attacks, and calling on concerned authorities to take measures against the attackers to end the criminalism.
The Katsina State Police Command has assured that it would deal with the menace in the state, vowing to use all available powers to protect the property and lives of the people.
In a press statement made available to me, the spokesman Gambo Isah, explained that "Snatching of phones using weapons is armed robbery, and as such the Nigeria Police Force will not fold its arms and watch disgruntled elements taking advantage of our citizens and robbing them of their handsets.
He said, "Any violent act will certainly attract the same. We will use all our available powers including the use of lethal weapons in protecting the good people of the state.
"We will not relent in our efforts in securing the state. The men have been fully briefed to deal decisively with any armed robbery gang found terrorising the state."
Hopefully, the police would be able to address this matter before it gets out of hand.
