The Katsina State Police Command have attributed the reduction in bandit attacks recorded across parts of the state over the past two years to sustained joint security operations involving multiple agencies, coupled with logistical support from the state government.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Aminu Gusau, who represented the Commissioner of Police, stated this on Thursday during a security town hall meeting organised by News Central in Katsina. The meeting brought together security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders and residents to discuss practical measures for strengthening collaboration in the fight against banditry.

According to Gusau, coordinated patrols carried out by the police alongside other security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), have contributed significantly to the improvement in the state’s security situation.

He said the state government had provided substantial logistical support to security agencies, while personnel had also been strategically deployed across vulnerable areas.

Gusau added that suspects arrested during security operations had been handed over to the appropriate judicial authorities for prosecution.

He appealed to residents to complement the efforts of security operatives by providing credible and timely intelligence capable of preventing attacks and aiding ongoing operations.

Also speaking at the event, Lieutenant Colonel Okorie Obasi, representing the Commander of the 17 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, disclosed that adequate security personnel had been deployed to safeguard candidates participating in the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.

He urged members of the public to support security agencies by supplying accurate and prompt information, stressing that such cooperation remains essential to sustaining peace and protecting communities.

Participants at the town hall underscored the importance of strengthening partnerships between security agencies and local communities through improved intelligence gathering, effective early warning systems and closer engagement with residents.

Community leaders and representatives of local vigilante groups maintained that grassroots intelligence is vital to preventing attacks and safeguarding lives, while urging authorities to enhance coordination with community-based security structures in line with the rule of law.

The meeting also featured excerpts from Bandits of Katsina State, an investigative documentary examining the impact of armed violence on communities in northern Nigeria, which served as a basis for discussions on the prevailing security situation.

During the deliberations, security expert Bala Husani argued that insurgency has evolved beyond a security issue into one with commercial and political dimensions. He alleged that the government benefits from the situation, claiming this has weakened efforts to bring the crisis to an end.

Meanwhile, the District Head of Wagini, His Royal Highness Diko Ruma, linked part of the state’s security challenges to declining parental responsibility, expressing the view that proper upbringing of children would help foster lasting peace and improve security in the future.