Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Usman, yesterday explained that he ordered the arrest of an errant judge to serve as deterrent.

Speaking during the inauguration of a Community Policing Advisory Committee by Governor Aminu Masari at the Government House yesterday, Usman said that prominent persons who break the law should not be treated with kid gloves, to discourage them from tilting towards impunity.

His words, “I’ve been saying this for sometime now; nobody should be spared irrespective of his or her status in society, if found to have broken the law. Society cannot progress if certain persons seem to be above the law. That is why I ordered the arrest of a judge.

“When some people commit an offence and they are not punished accordingly, chances are that they will get to commit similar or other offences in the future because they were not made to face the law at the initial stage.

“Even if its the son of the emir or a political office holder, he should be made to face the law when he commits an offence, as doing so would deter him and others from repeating same in the future.”

Co-chairing the committee with the emir is the Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, with members drawn from the three senatorial zones, including religious leaders and security agencies.

According to the monarch, community policing is an issue that is long overdue, adding that establishing it will go a long way to reducing the security challenges at the community level.

He, however, asked that senior security personnel be included in the committee to help with technicalities.

“I am happy with the development, especially the inclusion of traditional rulers as members of the committee.

“We are the ones that have ears to the ground and know what is happening in our communities. Our inclusion would go a long way to help the problem of security at the grassroots level,” he said.

Usman assured that his role as co-chairman of the committee would be carried out with the due diligence it deserves, to make the communities across the state more peaceful.

“I will not fail you, God willing. I will do all I can to make us succeed. We are going to do all we can overtly and covertly to see peace reign in the state and country,” he said.

On his part, Governor Masari called on the police not to be selective towards offenders while carrying out their responsibility in the state and country at large.

He added that while police should avoid being selective, they should also be compassionate towards offenders.