Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State says President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security operations in the state.

Mr Radda disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing journalists after a meeting with Islamic clerics and other stakeholders at the government house in Katsina.

He said the meeting was part of the state government’s efforts to tackle insecurity through community-driven solutions and greater stakeholder participation.

According to the governor, the engagement with religious leaders aims to obtain their perspectives on the state’s security challenges and to explore sustainable solutions to banditry and kidnapping.

“The purpose of this meeting is to hear directly from Islamic clerics, understand their perspectives on the current security challenges, and seek their advice on the way forward,” he said.

Mr Radda stressed that insecurity could not be addressed by security agencies alone, noting that communities must play active roles in combating banditry and kidnapping.

He said investigations had shown that some residents were aiding criminal groups through intelligence sharing, logistics, and the sale of stolen livestock.

“Most of their supply chains, information networks, and even the sale of stolen animals involve people living among us.

“This is why there is a need to sensitise the entire community so that everyone plays his/her part.

“Islamic clerics are critical partners in promoting moral values and mobilising communities against crime,” he said.

He said the state government had continued to implement measures to disrupt criminal activities, including banning the use of motorcycles in some affected local government areas, such as Musawa and Matazu.

Mr Radda added that the government had also restricted the use of Point of Sale (POS) machines and informal phone charging points in affected areas to curb criminal operations.

He further said that the sale of petroleum products had been restricted across the state to limit bandits’ operational capacity.

According to him, the measures were introduced after consultations with community leaders in the affected areas.

The governor announced that the federal government had approved the recruitment of 1,000 young men and women as forest guards to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies and community watch groups.

“I want to thank Mr President for approving our request to recruit 1,000 young, able-bodied men and women as forest guards. They will work alongside conventional security agencies and community watch groups,” the governor said.

He said the recruits would be properly trained and equipped to safeguard communities, particularly in forested and remote areas of the state.

Mr Radda also commended the federal government for increasing the deployment of military personnel, police officers, and State Security Service (SSS) operatives to Katsina.

He described the enhanced security deployment as encouraging and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to restoring lasting peace across the state.

The governor urged residents to remain vigilant and support government efforts by providing useful information to security agencies.

“Security is a collective responsibility. We urge all citizens to cooperate with authorities and contribute to peace in our communities,” he said.

(NAN)