Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Police Command has arrested suspected bandits’ informants and terrorism financiers as part of intensified operations to dismantle criminal networks fuelling insecurity in Nigeria’s North-West, authorities disclosed on Friday.
Commissioner of Police, CP Hayatu Hassan Shafa, revealed the development during a press briefing in Sokoto, where he outlined recent operational breakthroughs recorded by the Command in its ongoing campaign against banditry, kidnapping, and other violent crimes.
Shafa said the briefing was convened to keep the public informed about the evolving security situation in the state and to highlight the successes recorded by the Command in strengthening internal security and safeguarding communities.
According to him, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command, acting on credible intelligence on 17 April 2026, arrested a suspected terrorism collaborator identified as Aminu Mai Roba of Maikulki Village in Binji Local Government Area.
The suspect, he said, was intercepted along the Ruwa–Wuri–Tangaza Road while transporting four cows believed to have been supplied by a notorious terrorist group operating in the area.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he received the cattle from members of the Lakurawa terrorist group at Wariya Village in Tangaza Local Government Area,” the Police Commissioner stated.
“He admitted that his role was to sell the stolen cattle and remit the proceeds back to the terrorist network. The recovered cows have been registered as exhibits and the case is undergoing further investigation.”
Shaffa explained that the engagement with the media formed part of the Command’s strategic communication policy aimed at promoting transparency, building public confidence and strengthening cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the public.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to its constitutional mandate of protecting lives and property, preventing crime and maintaining law and order across Sokoto State.
“In strict compliance with the directives of the Inspector General of Police on professional conduct, discipline and the enforcement of operational standards, this Command has recalibrated its internal enforcement mechanisms to ensure maximum efficiency,” he said.
The Police Commissioner noted that since his assumption of office, the Command had recorded significant operational gains against violent crimes, attributing the successes to the dedication and professionalism of police personnel as well as collaboration with other security agencies and community stakeholders.
Highlighting another major operation, Shaffa disclosed that on 8 April at about 4:20 a.m., security forces responded to a distress call reporting a coordinated attack by armed bandits on Kwarengamba and Gayya da Kwari villages in Sabon Birni Local Government Area, a border community with the Republic of Niger.
He said a joint security team comprising the Police Tactical Unit, military personnel, Community Guard Watch and local vigilantes swiftly mobilised to the scene and engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle.
“The bandits were eventually overpowered and forced to flee into the bush with gunshot wounds,” he said.
“In the course of the pursuit, the criminals abandoned a sack containing 167 rounds of live ammunition, which has been recovered and registered as evidence.”
Shafa also revealed that on 15 April 2026, the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit conducted coordinated raids on suspected criminal hideouts across three local government areas: Dogon Daji in Tambuwal, Mallamawa in Kware, and Giyawa in Goronyo.
According to him, the operation led to the arrest of three suspects identified as Isiya Yusuf of Maganga Village in Goronyo LGA, Dankulu Sani of Dogon Daji in Tambuwal LGA, and Yushau Abubakar of Kware LGA.
Security operatives, he said, recovered several incriminating items from the suspects’ hideouts, including seven locally fabricated Dane guns, an AK-47 magazine, a military uniform, sharp cutlasses, hard drugs and quantities of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
“All the suspects have since been charged to court in accordance with the law,” Shafa confirmed.
Reaffirming the Command’s resolve to combat criminality, the Police Commissioner said the Sokoto Police Command remains proactive and strategically positioned to confront and neutralise threats to public safety.
He added that intelligence gathering, strategic deployment of personnel and community policing initiatives would continue to guide the Command’s security operations.
“We are determined to ensure that no criminal element finds safe haven within our communities,” he stated.
Shaffa urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible and timely information that could assist in preventing crime.
“Public support remains a critical force multiplier in our collective effort to maintain peace, stability and order. I assure citizens that any information provided will be treated with utmost confidentiality,” he said.
He reiterated the Command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property while upholding the rule of law and respect for human rights.
The Police Commissioner also released emergency contact lines for the Command, urging members of the public to report suspicious activities through the Control Room on 08026451719, the Complaint Response Unit on 07068718182, or the Police Public Relations Office on 08032861946.
