Intensified joint security operations against banditry in Katsina State have led to the killing of five suspected bandits and the rescue of 32 kidnapped victims in a fresh offensive targeting criminal networks operating across parts of the state.
The development was disclosed by the Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, in a statement made available to journalists.
According to the commissioner, the latest operation was directed at a notorious bandit leader identified as Muhammad Fulani, who is believed to be active across Matazu, Musawa, Kankia and Charanchi Local Government Areas of Katsina State, as well as parts of neighbouring Kano State.
Mu’azu said the coordinated security operation forms part of intensified efforts by security agencies to dismantle armed groups responsible for kidnappings, attacks on rural communities and other violent crimes across the affected areas.
He stated that during the recent offensive, security forces engaged members of the gang and successfully neutralised five suspected bandits.
The operation also led to the recovery of weapons and other operational items believed to have been used by the criminal group.
Items recovered during the raid include one AK-47 rifle, 10 magazines and nine motorcycles which security officials said were used by the gang for movement and operational activities.
Among those killed was Samagi, who security authorities described as a close associate of notorious bandit leader Muhammadu Kachalla.
The operation also resulted in the rescue of 32 kidnap victims who had been held in captivity by the armed group.
According to the statement, those rescued include 10 women, nine men and 13 children.
Mu’azu said the successful rescue reflects ongoing efforts by security agencies to intensify pressure on criminal elements and secure the release of abducted residents across vulnerable communities.
He reiterated that the Katsina State Government under Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has maintained a firm position against negotiating with bandits.
According to him, the state government remains committed to confronting armed groups through sustained security operations rather than dialogue with criminal elements.
He said Governor Radda has repeatedly made it clear that the administration’s objective is to reduce banditry to the barest minimum and restore safety across communities affected by years of insecurity.
The commissioner added that the operation targeting Muhammad Fulani is still ongoing.
He said security personnel have continued the manhunt across affected local government areas with the aim of tracking down fleeing members of the gang and dismantling remaining operational bases.
He also appealed to residents to support ongoing operations by providing credible and timely intelligence to security agencies.
According to him, information from local communities remains vital in identifying criminal hideouts, monitoring suspicious movements and strengthening operational effectiveness.
Katsina State has remained one of the major centres of the banditry crisis that has affected large parts of Nigeria’s North-West region over the past decade.
Armed groups operating across forest reserves and remote rural communities have repeatedly carried out mass abductions, village raids, cattle rustling and deadly attacks that have forced thousands of residents to flee their homes.
The prolonged insecurity has also had a severe impact on farming activities and local economies in many communities, with several residents unable to safely access farmlands and other sources of livelihood.
Security analysts have noted that the crisis is driven by a combination of factors, including widespread poverty, youth unemployment, the proliferation of illegal arms, weakening traditional conflict resolution structures between farming and herding communities, and limited government presence in remote areas.
Although distinct from the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, the violence in the North-West has increasingly become one of the country’s most pressing internal security challenges.
Authorities say sustained military pressure, stronger intelligence gathering and closer cooperation between communities and security agencies remain critical to reducing attacks and restoring normalcy in the region.
