Katsina State Government has reiterated its determination to tackle insecurity, even as it vowed to intensify the fight against daredevil bandits who kill, maim, and loot communities in some parts of the state.

This is even as the state government has procured eight more Armoured Personnel Vehicles (APCs) in addition to a dozen others it had previously purchased to boost kinetic operations.

Acting governor of the state, Lawal Jobe, stated this weekend shortly after chairing a State Security Council meeting and commissioning the APC vehicles at the Government House.

Jobe said the state government has invested billions of naira in security operations and that more investments would continue to be made until banditry and related criminality are brought to their knees.

He said combined efforts of security agencies and local security operatives have brought relative calm to four of the eight local government areas worst affected by banditry.

He identified the councils where peace had returned to include Jibia, Safana, Danmusa, and Batsari, and that efforts were ongoing for peace to return to the remaining four councils.

He described the recent attack on Unguwar Mantau community in Malumfashi council, which left over 30 people dead, as tragic and deeply regrettable, even as he commended residents for their resilience in the face of repeated attacks.
“The battle against banditry is not over until it is won. We will not be distracted by the cowardly actions of these criminals, who attack innocent citizens in the early hours of the day.

“We commend the courage of the local communities, who resisted and overpowered the attackers, making their efforts to disrupt peace unsuccessful,” he said.

On rescue operations, the acting governor said 76 abducted persons, including women and children, were freed on Saturday morning, in addition to others who managed to escape while being moved by the gunmen.

He said the government had taken delivery of the new APCs to further strengthen security, even as it seeks additional federal support to help boost security in areas facing frequent banditry attacks.

He assured that more reinforcements in manpower and equipment were coming to the state, even as he added that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, would be in the state on Sunday to assess the security situation.

Jobe said, though bandits have been pushed out of several communities into forest hideouts, the terrain still requires greater synergy between ground troops and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in order to consolidate the achievements gained.

He commended some members of the public who have provided actionable intelligence reports, adding that residents have a vital role to play in this regard so that insecurity can be adequately addressed.