Katsina Police Confirm Deployment Of Special Forces As Bandits Intensify Attacks

The Katsina State Police Command, says President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that Special Forces be deployed to deal with insecurity in the state.

Spokesman of the command, Gambo Isah, stated this on Wednesday in an interview with THE WHISTLER against the backdrop of the recent spike in bandits violence which led to protests by residents demanding immediate action.

Recall that the protesters, during the uproar, destroyed a billboard of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which bears the president’s picture.

It was said that the protest followed the abduction of a health worker, Mansir Yusuf, and his daughter by unknown gunmen in Yantumaki community, Danmusa Local Government Area, Katsina.

Also, they were said to be neighbours to the district head of the community, Atiku Abubakar, who was recently murdered by unknown gunmen.

Gambo said “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, has instructed for deployment of special forces around these crisis zones and we’re doing our best.

“The fight against terrorism and banditry is not an easy fight. It’s not something the ordinary citizen should expect that we should finish it in a day. We have mapped out our strategies, and it’s not for the public hearing or media people. It’s a strategy we don’t need to voice it out.

“What am assuring the public, we have been recording tremendous successes. In fact by tomorrow, we’re inviting the media for a briefing to display what we have achieved.

“There is this particular bandits enclave, it’s called Inya, it’s in Dan Musa local government area. For the past ten years, nobody can reach that place, it’s hilly and mountainous, it’s at the border with Zamfara State. We have captured that location, recovered several cattles, killed so many bandits. The bad nature of the area is the problem, because from Jibia at the end with the republic of Niger, up to Sabowa, border with Kaduna State, so we are covering a very vast forest. The security agencies can not be at everywhere at the same time, it has to be in phases. Residents should be patient with us, we’re coming to deal with the situation. The bandits are hell bent in trying the show that the efforts of the security agencies are nothing.”

Recall that Governor Aminu Bello Masari held negotiations with bandits in the state in 2019, in order for them to cease their hostilities.

He was also reported to have recently said that there would be no more negotiation or peace talks with bandits again in the state since they didn’t honor previous the agreements.

Masari said the state government signed agreement with the bandits and they promised to repent and leave the north-western part of the country, but according to him “they could not honor the agreement, they betrayed us”.

Katsina is the home state of President Buhari.