Tinubu Orders Security Review in Katsina, Hints at State Police

President Bola Tinubu has directed an immediate review of security operations in Katsina State, pledging to intensify the fight against banditry with advanced technology and grassroots-focused reforms.

The directive was disclosed Tuesday in a statement by his Senior Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the president, his administration has:

• Approved the deployment of drones and advanced surveillance devices.

• Ordered all security agencies to energize strategies and provide daily updates on operations.

• Emphasized the importance of security forces familiar with local terrain and culture.

“The security challenges that we are facing are surmountable. I have today directed all the security agencies to energise further and look at the strategies. We have approved the additional acquisition of drones,” Tinubu said.

Tinubu also revealed that his government is:

• Reviewing the creation of state police forces.

• Upgrading forest guards to strengthen community-level security.

• Examining a comprehensive security strategy that integrates both federal and state institutions.

Katsina, the president’s home state, has been one of the hardest-hit by banditry and rural insecurity. A review of its security operations signals a more aggressive approach that could set a precedent for other troubled states.

The move also reignites the national debate over state policing, a longstanding proposal that could reshape Nigeria’s security architecture.