There Are Moles Among Us, Bandits Know Our Plans Within Minutes – Dikko Radda

Governor Dikko Radda has blamed residents and alleged informants within communities and security circles for the persistent bandit attacks in parts of Katsina State, saying criminals operating in the state often receive intelligence about security operations in advance.

Speaking on the worsening insecurity in the state during an interview on Channels Television, Radda said some residents were secretly aiding bandits by leaking sensitive information and helping them evade security forces.

“The problem we have now is the communities. The communities are not giving the right information. I can say in a way, some of them are helping them,” the governor said.

Radda disclosed that a notorious bandit leader identified as Muhammad, whom he described as a native of the affected area, has continued to outsmart security agencies because of local collaborators.

“And this notorious person that is disturbing Musawa and Matazu, we know him. He’s Muhammad. That is his name. Everybody knows him. His father, his mother, and his grandfather were born there,” he said.

According to the governor, the bandit leader regularly receives updates from informants embedded within communities and even among security personnel.

“There was a day I called for a meeting here, a high-level security meeting in the Government House on how to operate and deal with the situation. Five minutes after the meeting, he knew what we discussed,” Radda revealed.

“There are moles among us, moles among the security, moles among the communities. That makes it more challenging.”

The governor lamented that whenever security operatives mobilise to respond to attacks, informants immediately alert the bandits, allowing them to prepare ambushes.

“Once the security move to the area, his moles among the people in the communities will call him and tell him that the security are coming. They have followed this road. So they will lay ambush for the security,” he said.

Radda also alleged that the bandits had devised tactics to manipulate public opinion against the government by instigating protests within affected communities.

“He has even brought out a new strategy that you go inside the village to demonstrate against the government so that they will put pressure on the government to allow him not to be pursued,” he added.

The governor, however, claimed that the security situation in the state had improved compared to when he assumed office, noting that over 20 local government areas were previously under severe threat.

“When I took over this state, there were about 24 local governments under siege. But now, most of the challenges we are witnessing today are within two local governments,” he said.

Radda further disclosed that the state government was exploring the deployment of drone technology to support security operations and suppress attacks in vulnerable areas.