A Point of Sale (PoS) operator and motorcycle spare parts dealer in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, Isiyaku Nasiru, has been taken into custody for allegedly assisting a bandit kingpin, Kachalla Muhammadu, in processing cash transactions running into millions of naira.
Nasiru was arrested by the Katsina State Security Watch Corps alongside three others: Abubakar Sayaya, Nura Baka Sati and Ubale Mai Cange.
It was gathered that the suspects were picked up at different locations in the state between Thursday and Saturday.
The council chairman, Shamsuddeen Muhammad Sayaya, who confirmed the arrests to Daily Trust, said the suspects were linked to the network of the notorious bandit kingpin.
He said the suspects were being investigated, stressing that the arrests could provide security agencies with information capable of exposing the structures allegedly sustaining criminal activities in the area.
Nasiru was allegedly used as part of a financial chain through which money linked to Muhammadu was moved to people involved in procuring weapons and other supplies.
Matazu has endured a cycle of killings, abductions, displacement and economic devastation that has transformed once-thriving farming communities into settlements struggling to survive.
The area, once known for its agricultural activities, livestock production, commerce and vibrant communities, has witnessed the gradual abandonment of villages as residents flee attacks and farmers stay away from their fields for fear of being killed or abducted.
Residents told Daily Trust that hundreds of people have been killed or injured over the years, while thousands have been displaced. More than 15 communities have reportedly been deserted or severely affected by the violence, with the crisis spilling into neighbouring local government areas, including Musawa, Kankia, Dutsinma and Kusada.
The abduction of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, brought the severity of the insecurity around Matazu into sharp national focus.
The retired general and his wife, Amina Abubakar, were travelling through the Matazu axis on May 30, 2026, when suspected bandits intercepted their vehicle along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli Road.
Police and security sources confirmed at the time that gunmen opened fire on the vehicle before abducting the couple. Their driver reportedly sustained gunshot injuries but escaped.
The incident took a tragic turn when the Katsina State Government confirmed that General Abubakar had died in captivity. His wife was later rescued.
