Katsina Attacks: Senate Seeks Military Barracks, Police Reinforcement

The Senate has passed a resolution on immediate military and police reinforcement in Katsina State following renewed bandit attacks that left at least 35 people dead within 24 hours, particularly in the Funtua Zone.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance under Order 42, sponsored by Senator Dandutse Mohammed (Katsina South), who drew lawmakers’ attention to the worsening security situation and urged swift federal intervention.

Presiding over the plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio admitted the motion for debate after it received overwhelming support from senators.

Moving the motion, Senator Dandutse said the state was deeply shaken by a recent ambush on personnel of the Nigerian Police Mobile Force in Guga, Bako Local Government Area of Katsina metropolis, during which three policemen were killed and two others critically injured.

He further disclosed that as of Tuesday, coordinated attacks across the Funtua Zone had left at least 35 people dead. According to him, 24 persons were killed in Faskari Local Government Area, eight in Bakori, two in Funtua Local Government Area, and one in Kankara Local Government Area—all within less than 24 hours.

The senator said the persistent attacks had forced over 50,000 farmlands to remain uncultivated, posing a grave threat to food security, agricultural productivity, and the livelihoods of residents.

Senator Dandutse recalled that the Governor of Katsina State, accompanied by elders from the Funtua Zone, had earlier paid a courtesy visit to President Bola Tinubu to raise concerns over insecurity.

“During the visit, the President pledged to establish a military barrack in Malumfashi to secure the zone,” he said.

He, however, lamented that criminals continued to exploit porous corridors linking Katsina with neighbouring states, including the Zamachi–Kanduse and Magami–Asuwa axes in Kaduna State, Power Hill in Kankara, and the Zamfara corridor.

The lawmaker warned that continued inaction could result in mass displacement, the collapse of rural livelihoods, and long-term psychological trauma for vulnerable populations.

He urged communities in Katsina and across the country to remain united, vigilant, and supportive of security efforts while resisting internal collaborators who undermine national security.

He also commended President Tinubu and the security agencies for their interventions and called for sustained and coordinated operations until all criminal elements are flushed out.

Among its resolutions, the Senate urged President Tinubu to fulfil his pledge to establish a military barrack in the Funtua Zone; directed the Inspector-General of Police to equip the newly established police squadron in the area with at least three Armoured Personnel Carriers; and called on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide immediate relief to affected families and communities.

The Senate also observed a one-minute silence in honour of those killed in the attacks.

Seconding the motion, Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibril said the Federal Government had already directed the military to intensify operations in Katsina, particularly in the Funtua axis.

He commended the military and the Katsina State Government for their efforts but stressed the need for increased troop strength, improved technology, and decisive action.

“The military is doing well, the governor is doing well, but we need to do more. This is a very fertile agricultural area that can feed the nation. We cannot allow bandits to continue killing people daily,” Barau said.

Contributing, Senator Tahir Monguno (Borno North) described the motion as timely and germane, noting that security remained the primary responsibility of government.

He stressed that insecurity in Katsina was already negatively affecting national food security and urged full implementation of plans to establish a military formation in the area.

Senator Titus Zam (Benue North) expressed sympathy with the people of Katsina and noted that while military operations had reduced attacks in parts of Benue State, fresh killings had recently occurred in Kwande Local Government Area.

He urged the military to further increase its firepower and pace of operations nationwide.

Also contributing, Senator Ahmed Wadada (Nasarawa West) cautioned against negotiating with bandits, describing such engagements as counterproductive.

He emphasised the importance of intelligence gathering and urged communities to support security agencies with timely and credible information.

In his closing remarks, Senate President Akpabio acknowledged the anger and frustration of lawmakers over continued insecurity, assuring that the National Assembly would prioritise increased funding for the military in the 2026 budget.

He noted that Nigeria’s vast size made it impractical to station troops in every community and advocated greater deployment of modern technology, including sophisticated drones, to secure hard-to-reach areas.

He also warned against collaboration with criminals, stressing that intelligence leaks from within communities often undermine security operations.

Akpabio assured senators that the chamber’s resolutions would be followed up with the executive to ensure not only approvals but also the timely release of funds, expressing optimism that sustained efforts would eventually bring an end to banditry.