Mirian Gom 
KATSINA, Nigeria – Katsina State has banned the sales of fuel in jerrycans, the use of motorcycles and the operation of Point of Sale (POS) outlets in two local government areas as authorities intensify efforts to disrupt bandit networks and curb worsening insecurity.
Governor Dikko Umaru Radda announced the sweeping restrictions under a new executive order following an emergency security meeting with security agencies, traditional rulers and other stakeholders amid persistent attacks by bandits and kidnappers across parts of the state.
In a statement on Tuesday, the new anti-bandit measures include an immediate statewide ban on the sale, purchase, transportation and storage of petroleum products in jerrycans—a move the government says is designed to cut off fuel supplies to criminal groups operating from forests and remote hideouts.
In addition, all POS outlets and commercial phone-charging centres in Matazu and Musawa Local Government Areas have been shut down over intelligence reports suggesting that some of the facilities are being exploited by criminal networks to coordinate and sustain their operations.
The Executive Order also imposes a total ban on the use of motorcycles in the two local government areas, reflecting a broader security strategy increasingly adopted across northern Nigeria, where armed groups often rely on motorcycles for mobility and attacks.
The latest measures come as Katsina remains among Nigeria’s most affected states by banditry and kidnapping, with communities in several local government areas repeatedly targeted by armed groups.
He urged residents to comply fully with the new directives and support security agencies by providing timely and credible intelligence that could aid ongoing operations.
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Korede Abdullah 