Impact of Community Watch Corps for Community Safety on Banditry Activities in Katsina State

This study examines impact of community watch Corps for community safety on Banditry activities in Katsina State. The study was guided by four research objectives and corresponding research questions. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Population of the study comprised of residents of 10 frontline local government areas in Katsina State. Sample for the study consisted of 100 residents in Jibia and Batsari drawn using a multistage sampling technique. Data for the study were collected using a 20 items questionnaire entitled the Effectiveness of Community Watch Corps in Combating Banditry (ECWCCB). The Instrument was validated by three experts in terms of face, content and construct validities. It was also, pilot tested and obtained a reliability index of 0.086 using PPMC. Descriptive statistics was used in analyzing the collected data. Research questions were analyzed using Mean, and Standard deviation. Findings among others revealed that the strategies employed by community-led groups to enhance local security, fosters collaboration with law enforcement agency, and build community resilience against crime. Based on the findings, the study concluded that Community Watch Corps are active and effective in combating banditry activities in Katsina state. It was further recommended that empowering community watch initiatives can significantly contribute to reducing crime rates and enhancing community safety especially in vulnerable areas. Keywords: Role, Community Watch Corps, Combating Banditry