By Francis Ajuonuma, with additional report
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has alleged that informants embedded within government circles, security agencies and local communities are sabotaging efforts to curb banditry by leaking operational details to criminal groups.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Radda said the activities of the informants had repeatedly frustrated security operations, enabling bandits to evade arrest and launch ambushes against operatives.
The governor identified a notorious bandit leader simply as Mohammed, saying authorities were fully aware of his identity and background, but lamented that some residents were shielding him by supplying intelligence.
“This notorious person disturbing us is known to everybody. His name is Mohammed. We know his family and where he comes from, but the challenge is that some people within the communities are not giving us accurate information,” Radda said.
According to him, the extent of the information leak became apparent after a recent high-level security meeting convened by the state government.
“The day we held a top-level security meeting on strategies to tackle insecurity, within five minutes, he already knew everything we discussed. That tells you clearly there are moles among us,” he stated.
Radda further alleged that the bandit kingpin had adopted tactics aimed at frustrating government actions by allegedly mobilising residents to stage protests against ongoing security operations.
“He now incites villagers to protest against the government so authorities will be pressured not to pursue him,” the governor said.
He also accused some informants within communities of alerting bandits whenever security operatives were mobilised for operations.
“Whenever security personnel are deployed after intelligence reports of an impending attack, some people immediately disclose the movement routes and operational plans to the bandits, allowing them to prepare ambushes,” he added.
The governor maintained that the state was confronting a deeply rooted security challenge involving collaborators within different segments of society.
“There are moles within the communities, within security agencies and even within government circles aiding these criminals,” he said.
On the controversial issue of dialogue with bandits, Radda reiterated his opposition to negotiating with criminal groups, but explained that some communities pressured his administration to allow peace talks after years of attacks and displacement.
He said the affected communities argued that negotiations could restore peace in areas where residents felt abandoned and unprotected.
“I was initially against negotiating with bandits, but the suffering became unbearable, and some communities approached us, saying the bandits were willing to surrender their arms if dialogue was allowed,” he explained.
Radda disclosed that while he refused to participate in the talks personally, he permitted the communities to proceed with the negotiations.
“I told them clearly that they could go ahead, but I would not be directly involved,” he said.
The governor noted that several local government areas that embraced the peace arrangement had not witnessed attacks for more than a year.
“As we speak today, some local governments that entered into peace agreements have remained calm for over one year. What the people wanted was peace, and that was why we allowed it,” he stated.
Despite the relative calm in some areas, Radda insisted he would negotiate with bandits only from a position of strength if they approached the government for peace talks.
*Police arrest 344 suspects, rescue 27 kidnap victims in Katsina crackdown
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Police Command said it arrested 344 suspects for various crimes across the state in April as part of intensified operations against kidnapping, banditry and other violent offences.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, disclosed this during a briefing at the command headquarters in Katsina on Wednesday.
He said the command strengthened intelligence-driven operations, joint security patrols and targeted raids across identified flashpoints during the period under review.
According to him, 151 major cases were investigated, while 128 had already been charged in court following the conclusion of investigations.
Among those arrested were two suspected kidnappers, 15 armed robbery suspects, eight suspected bandits, four informants and 28 alleged drug traffickers.
The police spokesman added that 28 suspects linked to murder and culpable homicide, 25 accused of rape and sodomy, 57 suspected social miscreants and 194 others connected to various offences were also apprehended.
Sadiq further disclosed that one suspected kidnapper was neutralised during a tactical operation, while 27 kidnapped victims were rescued and reunited with their families after medical evaluation.
Recovered exhibits included 243 suspected rustled animals, two stolen vehicles, two motorcycles, 20 laptops, GSM phones, NIN slips and illicit drugs.
He said sustained intelligence-sharing and joint operations with other security agencies had significantly improved the command’s response capacity across the state.
“We conducted several targeted raids, cordon-and-search operations and intelligence-led patrols along major highways, including the Katsina–Zaria route, leading to multiple arrests and recovery of exhibits,” Sadiq said.
The police spokesman assured residents that the command would sustain aggressive operations against criminal networks and urged members of the public to continue providing credible information to security agencies.
“Criminals must desist from unlawful activities or face the full weight of the law,” he warned.
