Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
Sokoto State Government has launched another major offensive against banditry and other criminal activities, approving N1.759 billion to procure 1,000 Bajaj motorcycles to boost the mobility and operational effectiveness of security agencies across the state.
The approval is aimed at giving security personnel the capacity to penetrate remote communities and difficult terrains where bandits and other criminal elements have continued to exploit poor road networks to attack residents, abduct victims and escape security operations.
The decision was reached at the sixth regular meeting of the Sokoto State Executive Council for 2026, presided over by the Deputy Governor, Idris Muhammad Gobir, at the Government House, Sokoto.
The latest intervention represents a significant escalation of the state’s logistical support for security agencies as the government intensifies efforts to dismantle criminal networks threatening lives, livelihoods and economic activities in vulnerable communities.
The development also comes on the heels of the government’s reported procurement of 62 armoured vehicles valued at about N27 billion, which were distributed to security agencies to strengthen their capacity to confront bandits and protect communities under threat.
With the deployment of 1,000 additional motorcycles, security operatives are expected to enjoy greater mobility in areas where conventional patrol vehicles cannot operate effectively, enabling them to respond faster to distress calls and pursue fleeing criminals through difficult terrain.
The government said the massive investment in security logistics underscores its determination to confront banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other forms of criminality with improved equipment, mobility and operational support.
Beyond the security sector, the Executive Council approved N723.17 million for the renovation of Government Technical College, Runjin Sambo, as part of efforts to improve infrastructure and strengthen technical and vocational education in the state.
Similarly, N498.995 million was approved for the rehabilitation of A.A. Raji Special School, while another ₦489.319 million was approved for the renovation of Phase I of the College of Nursing Sciences.
The Council also approved N229.36 million for the renovation of male and female hostels at the College of Basic and Remedial Studies, with the government stressing the importance of providing conducive learning and accommodation facilities for students.
In the agricultural sector, N174.642 million was approved for the renovation of staff quarters and the upgrading of the perimeter fence at the College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Wurno.
The Council further approved N133.666 million for the construction of a perimeter fence at Wamakko Primary Health Centre, alongside ₦93.88 million for vocational learning equipment for 46 women’s vocational centres spread across the state’s 23 local government areas.
Another ₦90.208 million was approved for the procurement of PVC pipes and plumbing fittings to maintain 142 semi-urban water supply schemes across the 23 local government areas, reinforcing the administration’s drive to sustain access to potable water.
The Executive Council meeting, which lasted about two hours, therefore produced a broad package of decisions covering security, education, healthcare, agriculture, women’s empowerment and water supply.
The Government seeks to simultaneously confront insecurity and accelerate socio-economic development across the state.
