Tinubu Orders Review of Security Operations in Katsina, Backs State Police, Forest Guards Upgrade
Abuja — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed a comprehensive review of security operations in Katsina State, with a pledge to deploy advanced military hardware and surveillance drones to combat banditry.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday while receiving a delegation of eminent Katsina leaders led by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, Tinubu said the federal government is considering the establishment of state police and strengthening the recently deployed forest guards.
Decrying what he described as the politicisation of state policing, the President stressed that local security outfits are crucial for states with peculiar terrains and cultures.
“The security challenges that we are facing are surmountable. Yes, we have porous borders. We inherited weaknesses that could have been addressed earlier. It is a challenge that we must fix, and we are facing it,” Tinubu said.
“I have today directed all the security agencies to energise further and look at the strategies. We have approved the additional acquisition of drones. I am reviewing all aspects of security, and I have to create a state police. We are looking at that holistically. We will defeat insecurity. We must protect our children, our people, our livelihood, our places of worship, and our recreational spaces. They can’t intimidate us.”
The President also ordered daily feedback on security operations in Katsina.
On legacy matters, Tinubu assured the delegation that former President Muhammadu Buhari would be immortalised for his contributions to Nigeria’s unity and democratic stability.
“The time we lost our brother, President Buhari, is a loss for all of us. It is the will of God Almighty, but he left in a good way. He didn’t hand over a defeated country, a battered political structure, but a legacy of success, and that is the most important thing,” he said.
Governor Radda, in his remarks, expressed appreciation for the President’s support for Katsina through infrastructure development and federal appointments, while also seeking more intervention in security, youth empowerment, and infrastructure.
“Mr. President, I would like to thank you very much. There was never a time I came to you with a request that you rejected. We are here again because you are aware of the problem affecting our state,” Radda said.
Former Governor Aminu Bello Masari, who delivered a vote of thanks, commended Tinubu for honouring Buhari with a state funeral and assured him of the loyalty of Katsina people.
Also speaking, the Waziri of Katsina, Senator Ibrahim Ida, applauded the President’s commitment to completing the Kano-Maradi Rail project and other infrastructure in the state. He, however, called for an upgrade of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport and urged more federal attention to security challenges in southern Katsina.
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