Katsina: The Katsina State Government has ordered the immediate closure of all Point of Sale (POS) businesses and commercial phone charging centres in Matazu and Musawa Local Government Areas. The government also banned the sale, purchase, transportation, and storage of petroleum products in jerrycans across the state, as well as the use of motorcycles in the two affected LGAs.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Governor Dikko Radda announced the measures in an Executive Order issued after an emergency security meeting with security agencies, traditional rulers, and other key stakeholders. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Kaula-Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Katsina.
The directive is part of fresh measures to curb banditry and kidnapping. Security assessments showed that POS outlets and commercial phone charging centres in Matazu and Musawa were being exploited by criminal networks to facilitate their operations. The ban on petroleum products in jerrycans aims to prevent the diversion of fuel supplies to criminal elements operating in remote locations.
Furthermore, the restriction on motorcycle use in Matazu and Musawa is intended to disrupt the movement and operational activities of bandits and kidnappers, who frequently rely on motorcycles for transportation. Governor Radda emphasized that the safety of lives and property remains the highest priority of his administration and assured residents that the government would continue to work closely with security agencies to restore lasting peace and stability across the state.
He urged residents to comply fully with the directives and support security agencies by providing credible information to aid ongoing operations. The governor warned that violators would face the full weight of the law and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to taking all lawful and necessary measures to ensure communities across the state remain safe, secure, and conducive for economic and social activities.