Katsina State has deployed eight new Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs, to boost security across the state, bringing the total fleet to 43, the highest in the northwest zone.
Acting Governor Faruk Lawal Jobe unveiled the vehicles following a State Security Council meeting, emphasizing the need for cooperation between security agencies and communities in tackling banditry and kidnappings.
“The battle against banditry is not over until it is won,” Jobe said. “Our troops cannot operate alone; they need maximum cooperation from communities, particularly in sharing timely intelligence.”
Jobe described a recent attack in Unguwar Mantau, Malumfashi Local Government Area, as barbaric. Armed assailants targeted unarmed civilians during prayers at a mosque, kidnapping women, children, and nursing mothers. Local resistance helped rescue 76 of the victims.
He added that Katsina is the most equipped state in the northwest, with APCs, surveillance and combat equipment, and support from the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Police, DSS, vigilante groups, hunters, and the state Community Watch Corps. The Chief of Army Staff is expected to visit the state for a security assessment, and additional federal support is being sought due to the challenging terrain where bandits operate.
Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Muazu Danmusa, urged communities in frontline areas to cooperate with security agencies. “The cooperation of local communities is crucial in defeating banditry,” he said.
Katsina govt deploys eight new armoured vehicles to tackle banditry
