Dikko Umar Radda has raised serious concerns over the activities of informants allegedly working within government circles, security agencies and local communities to aid bandits terrorising parts of Katsina State. The governor said the activities of such individuals have continued to frustrate efforts by security agencies to tackle banditry and restore lasting peace across the state. Speaking during a national television programme on Thursday, Radda lamented that sensitive security information was frequently leaked to criminal groups, enabling them to evade arrest and launch attacks on communities before security operatives could act.
According to him, the challenge posed by informants remains one of the biggest obstacles confronting the ongoing war against insecurity in the North-West region. The governor revealed that some bandit leaders appeared to have access to intelligence from highly placed sources, a development he described as disturbing and dangerous to national security. Radda specifically cited the case of a notorious bandit identified simply as Mohammed, whom he accused of consistently receiving confidential information shortly after security meetings were held.
He explained that the suspect allegedly had access to operational details concerning planned raids and troop movements, making it difficult for security operatives to apprehend him and members of his gang. The governor recounted one particular incident in which information discussed during a high-level security meeting at the state government level was leaked within minutes. According to him, the rapid leak enabled the bandit leader and his associates to immediately alter their plans and avoid security operations targeted at them.
Radda said the incident exposed the depth of infiltration within the system and highlighted the urgent need for authorities to identify and punish those collaborating with criminal elements. He stressed that the security crisis in Katsina and other neighbouring states could not be effectively addressed unless those supplying information to bandits were exposed and brought to justice. The governor noted that while security personnel were risking their lives daily to defend communities, certain individuals were sabotaging operations for personal gains.
He warned that the continued betrayal from insiders was emboldening criminal groups and prolonging insecurity across rural communities. “For us to win this war, we must confront the issue of informants decisively,” the governor reportedly stated during the interview. Radda also said the state government was working closely with security agencies and community leaders to strengthen intelligence gathering and improve operational secrecy. He added that measures were being introduced to limit access to sensitive security information and ensure that operational plans were handled with greater confidentiality.
The governor acknowledged the sacrifices of security personnel operating in difficult terrains across Katsina State and commended local vigilante groups and community members supporting efforts to combat banditry. However, he maintained that meaningful progress would remain difficult if criminal groups continued receiving support from collaborators within the system. Katsina State, like several states in the North-West, has in recent years witnessed repeated attacks by armed bandits involved in kidnapping, cattle rustling, killings and raids on rural communities.
Many residents have been displaced as a result of the violence, while schools, markets and farming activities have also been disrupted in some affected areas. The state government has repeatedly introduced different security measures, including collaboration with federal security agencies, support for local vigilantes and investment in surveillance operations aimed at curbing the activities of criminal gangs.
Observers say Governor Radda’s latest comments have once again drawn attention to the complex nature of insecurity in the region, particularly the role allegedly played by insiders and collaborators in sustaining criminal operations. Security analysts have often argued that defeating banditry requires not only military operations but also dismantling the intelligence networks and supply chains that support armed groups.
The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to restoring peace and protecting lives and property across Katsina State, insisting that authorities would continue intensifying efforts to identify and prosecute anyone found aiding bandits.
