The Katsina State Government has announced a series of Katsina security measures aimed at addressing banditry and kidnapping activities in parts of the state. The directives include the immediate closure of Point of Sale (POS) businesses and commercial phone charging centres in Matazu and Musawa Local Government Areas, alongside restrictions on fuel handling and motorcycle use. State authorities say the actions are intended to disrupt criminal operations and improve public safety.
Katsina State has faced persistent security challenges linked to banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activities in several communities. Security agencies and state authorities have continued to introduce measures designed to limit the movement and operational capabilities of criminal groups.
Following an emergency security meeting involving security agencies, traditional rulers, and other key stakeholders, Governor Dikko Radda approved a fresh set of directives. The measures were communicated through an executive order as part of broader efforts to strengthen security across affected areas.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Kaula-Mohammed, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday in Katsina.
Under the new Katsina security measures, all POS businesses and commercial phone charging centres in Matazu and Musawa Local Government Areas are to cease operations immediately. The government also prohibited the sale, purchase, transportation, and storage of petroleum products in jerrycans across the state.
According to Governor Radda, security assessments indicated that some POS outlets and commercial phone charging centres in the affected areas were being exploited by criminal networks to facilitate their activities.
The governor stated that the restriction on petroleum products in jerrycans is intended to prevent fuel supplies from being diverted to criminal elements operating in remote locations. He further explained that the ban on motorcycle use in Matazu and Musawa is designed to limit the mobility of bandits and kidnappers who frequently depend on motorcycles for transportation.
Radda said the safety of lives and property remains a top priority for his administration and stressed that the government would continue collaborating with security agencies to restore peace and stability.
The latest Katsina security measures could have implications for residents and businesses in the affected areas, particularly those that rely on POS services, commercial charging centres, and motorcycles for daily economic activities. However, state authorities maintain that the restrictions are necessary to support ongoing security operations.
The measures also reflect a broader strategy adopted in several parts of northern Nigeria, where governments have introduced targeted restrictions to reduce logistical support available to criminal groups.
Governor Radda urged residents to comply fully with the directives and assist security agencies by providing credible information that could support ongoing operations. He warned that violators would face the full weight of the law and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to taking all lawful and necessary steps to ensure communities remain safe, secure, and conducive for economic and social activities.
