The Katsina State government under the administration of Governor Umar Dikko has banned commercial motorcycles and tricycles at night across 19 Local Governments (LGs) to enhance security.

Nasiru Mu’azu, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, made this known in a statement on Sunday, August 27, 2023.

According to him, the ban was from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. everyday.

He explained that the order affects local government areas fully affected by banditry and other related crimes.

“The order affects LGs fully affected by banditry and other related crimes,” Mr Mu’azu said.

He listed the affected LGAs as Sabuwa, Dandume, Funtua, Faskari, Bakori, Kankara, Danja, Kafur, Malumfashi, Musawa, Matazu, Danmusa, Safana, and Dutsinma.

“Also affected are Kurfi, Charanchi, Jibia, Batsari and Kankia,” he said.

“Members of the public must understand that the purpose of the order is for the restoration of permanent peace in the affected areas,” the commissioner added.

In a related development, six staff of a private security company deployed to the Rivers headquarters of Winners Chapel Church, at Kaduna street, D-line, Port Harcourt are now in police net for allegedly stealing and attempting to sell property of the church.

It was gathered that the security men were intercepted by men of PHALGA Security Watch when they were conveying the heavy iron rods and other church property to a place in D-Line where the items will be sold.

The Chairman of PHALGA Security Watch, Victor Ohaji in an interview with newsmen said he got intelligence at about 1 am on Sunday morning that the security guards of the church were conveying iron rods and other church property to unknown destination with a truck.

Ohaji said he and his men quickly mobilized to the scene and trailed the church security guards to where the property was about to be sold.

Mr Ohaji said though those invited to buy the stolen items on sighting them took to their heels, they were about to arrest the six security guards and retrieved the stolen items.

The vigilante group Chairman also disclosed that he and his operatives arrested Mr Chigbo at about 3am on Sunday morning while he was vandalizing a truck belonging to Rivers State Waste Management Agency(RIWAMA) which was parked in front of a church at IKoku axis of Ikwerre road.

The driver of the RIWAMA truck, Chijioke Ani told our correspondent that he parked the truck when the diesel in the vehicle got finished, but when he came back, the truck compacting component has been vandalized.

The truck driver revealed that he was alerted by residents that Mr Chigbo who vandalized the truck was apprehended by the PHALGA Security Watch and he went to Mile 1 Police Division where the suspect is being detained.

Our correspondent who visited the office of the vigilante operatives reports that Police Officers from Olu-Obasanjo Police Division came and took the six church security guards after Mr Ohaji alerted the Divisional Police Officer(DPO).

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of the security guards, but indicated that the suspects were five.

The Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Koko confirmed the incident.

SP Koko disclosed that the five security guards have been conniving and selling the irods and were taking another batch sale in the early hours of Sunday when they were arrested by the vigilante operatives.

SP Koko further stated that investigations is ongoing