Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, on Monday convened an emergency security council meeting at the Government House in Katsina following a renewed wave of bandit attacks in parts of the state.
The meeting happened a day after bandits killed two civilians and a police officer during attacks along the Karadua–Musawa Road in Matazu Local Government Area.
The incident occurred on Sunday when bandits reportedly blocked the road and opened fire on a moving Volkswagen Golf vehicle, killing two occupants on the spot.
In a statement on Monday, the Katsina State Police Command, through its spokesman, DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, said a joint team comprising police personnel, military operatives, members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps, and local vigilantes was mobilised to the scene following a distress call.
Sadiq-Aliyu said the bandits later regrouped and attempted to attack the Musawa Police Division but were repelled after a fierce gun battle, preventing them from overrunning the facility. He added that one police officer was killed during the encounter while defending the station.
Although details of the Monday security meeting were not disclosed, sources indicated that discussions centred on tackling the resurgence of banditry in several communities.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted several hours, brought together heads of security agencies, chairmen of affected local government areas, and key stakeholders to review the deteriorating security situation and strategise immediate responses.
Representatives of the Nigerian Army, Defence Headquarters, and the Department of State Services attended, alongside officials of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Also present were representatives of the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Federal Fire Service, and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other top government officials also participated in the deliberations.