The Katsina State Government has announced a ban on the sale, purchase, transportation, and storage of petrol in jerrycans across all local government areas of the state as part of renewed efforts to strengthen the fight against banditry, kidnapping, and other security challenges.
The announcement followed an emergency security meeting chaired by Governor Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, which was attended by security chiefs, traditional rulers, local government officials, and other key stakeholders involved in maintaining peace and security in the state.
According to the government, the measure forms part of a broader strategy aimed at cutting off supplies that criminal elements rely on to carry out their operations. Security reports indicate that bandits often use petrol to power motorcycles and other equipment used in their hideouts located in forests and remote areas.
The government explained that the unrestricted sale of petrol in jerrycans has made it easier for criminals to obtain fuel needed to sustain attacks, kidnappings, and other unlawful activities that threaten the safety of communities across the state.
As a result, all filling station operators and fuel marketers have been directed to immediately stop dispensing petrol into jerrycans or similar containers, except through channels authorized by law. Security agencies and relevant authorities have also been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the directive throughout the state.
The state government called on residents to cooperate fully by adhering to the new regulation and reporting anyone found violating the order. It emphasized that the success of the fight against insecurity depends on the collective efforts of government, security agencies, traditional institutions, and the public.
The government further stressed that the directive takes immediate effect and warned that anyone caught buying, selling, transporting, or storing petrol in jerrycans in violation of the order will face appropriate legal sanctions.
Security analysts believe the move is one of several measures being implemented by the Katsina State Government to disrupt the logistics and supply networks of bandits, weaken their operational capacity, and ultimately restore lasting peace and security in affected communities across the state.
