Senate urges President Tinubu to act as bandits ravage Katsina communities

The Senate on Tuesday raised concern over worsening insecurity in Katsina state following fresh bandit attacks in the Funtua zone that reportedly claimed at least 35 lives within 24 hours.

The matter was brought before the chamber through a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Senator Dandutse Mohammed, representing Katsina south.

Mohammed called for immediate and comprehensive federal intervention to halt the escalating violence in the state.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio allowed debate on the motion after it received overwhelming support from senators.

Moving the motion, Mohammed said the state was shaken by a recent ambush on personnel of the Nigerian Police Mobile Force in Guga, Bako local government area.

He said three policemen were killed in the attack, while two others were critically injured.

Mohammed said that as of Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at least 35 people had been killed in coordinated attacks across the Funtua zone.

He said 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 within less than 24 hours.

The senator said persistent attacks had forced more than 50,000 farmlands to remain uncultivated.

He warned that the situation poses a serious threat to food security, agricultural productivity and livelihoods.

Mohammed recalled that Dikko Radda, Katsina governor, and elders from the Funtua zone had earlier visited President Bola Tinubu to raise concerns over insecurity.

He said President Tinubu pledged during the visit to establish a military barracks in Malumfashi to secure the zone.

Mohammed said bandits continued to exploit porous corridors linking Katsina with neighbouring states.

He listed the Zamachi–Kanduse and Magami–Asuwa axes in Kaduna state, Power Hill in Kankara and the Zamfara corridor as routes used by the criminals.

The lawmaker warned that continued inaction could lead to mass displacement, collapse of rural livelihoods and long-term psychological trauma.

He urged communities to remain united, vigilant and supportive of security efforts while resisting internal collaborators.

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

As part of its resolutions, the Senate urged Tinubu to fulfil his pledge to establish a military barracks in the Funtua zone.

The upper chamber also directed IGP Kayode Egbetokun,to equip the newly established police squadron in the area with at least three armoured personnel carriers.

It further called on the federal ministry of humanitarian affairs and the National Emergency Management Agency to provide immediate relief to affected families and communities.

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

Seconding the motion, Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, said the federal government had already directed the military to intensify operations in Katsina.

“The military is doing well, the governor is doing well, but we need to do more,” he said.

“This is a very rich agricultural area that can feed the nation. We cannot allow bandits to continue killing people daily,” Jibrin added.