From Agaju Madugba, Katsina
Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, has inaugurated a committee to enforce his recent order towards containing murderous activities in parts of the state.
The governor had, last week, signed the “Security Challenges (Containment) Order”, closing a number of roads and highways and banning the sale of fuel, among other measures.
Inaugurating the committee at the Government House, yesterday, the governor tasked the commitment to ensure that peace returns to communities being terrorised by bandits and kidnappers.
He also ordered immediate closure of all commercial charging points for mobile phones, explaining that such facilitates aid bandits in their activities.
The Katsina State Commissioner of Police is Chairman of the committee with other members drawn from across the security agencies in the state, representatives of traditional rulers and civil society organisations, among others.
From an initial eight local government areas, banditry activities have since expanded to other areas bringing the number to 19, out of the 34 local government areas in the state.
Most of these locations share boundaries with the Rugu forest, reported to be haven and operational base of bandits.
The local government areas are, Jibia, Batsari, Safana, Dan-Musa, Kankara, Sabuwa, Faskari, Dandume, Musawa, Matazu, Dutsinma, Kurfi, Danja, Kafur, Mai’Adua, Kaita, Bakori, Malumfashi, Funtua.