KATSINA, NIGERIA – The Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Muazu, has attributed the persistence of banditry and kidnappings in the state to the activities of local informants who provide essential services and intelligence to criminal groups. Muazu made the comments on Thursday while briefing journalists after a joint security meeting at Government House, Katsina.
According to the commissioner, investigations have revealed that a significant portion of the problem—estimated to be as high as 80%—is caused by dishonest individuals within communities who supply essential goods and information to the bandits for economic gain.
“These bandits do not know where to buy all these things from, but some members of the communities who own shops sell their products to them at exorbitant prices,” he explained. Muazu cited specific examples, stating that a bottle of soft drink can sell for as much as ₦3,000 (around $2 USD) and a litre of fuel for ₦5,000 (around $3.30 USD) to the criminals. He also mentioned that drugs, typically sold for small amounts, are being supplied to bandits for millions of naira.
Muazu also highlighted the alarming role of informants in facilitating abductions. He described a case where a man allegedly conspired with bandits to kidnap his own diabetic father. The bandits, already informed of the victim’s medical condition, had procured his medication in advance. A ransom of ₦30 million was paid, of which ₦8 million was given to the son for his role in the crime. Furthermore, the commissioner revealed that informants alert bandits whenever Nigerian Air Force jets take off for air strikes, leading to unsuccessful missions.
Despite these challenges, Muazu noted that the government has recorded significant success in combating insecurity in some local government areas through “kinetic measures” but stressed the importance of “non-kinetic measures” to ensure a lasting end to the problem. He concluded that with sufficient manpower, insecurity could have been a thing of the past, but the activities of these informants remain a critical obstacle.
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