KATSINA, Nigeria — The Katsina State Government has disclosed that Nura Aliyu Garwa, a suspected kidnapping syndicate mastermind paraded by the police, had already been suspended from his role as a state official.
Garwa, who served as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Community Development to Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, was recently implicated by the Katsina State Police Command in the abduction of an eight-year-old boy from the Sardauna Estate within the Katsina metropolis.
Okay News reports that a statement issued on Monday by the State Commissioner of Information and Culture, Bala Salisu Zango, clarified that the administration had suspended Garwa prior to his arrest. The suspension followed allegations that he diverted community empowerment materials intended for the Batsari Local Government Area.
Following his suspension from the cabinet, Garwa had reportedly launched a political campaign to contest for a seat in the Katsina State House of Assembly to represent the Batsari constituency.
Reacting to the police parade, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda described the allegations as deeply unfortunate, expressing grave concern that an individual with a high-profile public portfolio and legislative ambitions could be linked to such a criminal syndicate.
The governor commended the Katsina State Police Command and sister security agencies for their vigilance, reiterating his administration’s commitment to sustaining aggressive operations against banditry and kidnapping across the state.
