By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
The Sokoto State Police Command has dismantled a terror financing network and arrested suspected bandits and informants as part of ongoing efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
Parading the suspects at the Command Headquarters, the state Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, detailed a series of successes against banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes. He said the briefing was part of the Command’s strategic communication policy to promote transparency and public confidence.
Cattle smuggling linked to Lakurawa terrorists
According to CP Shaffa, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, acting on credible intelligence, arrested a suspected terrorism collaborator, Aminu Mai Roba of Maikulki Village in Binji Local Government Area, on April 17, 2026.
The suspect was intercepted along the Ruwa–Wuri–Tangaza Road while transporting four cows 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,” Shaffa 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.”
Joint operation repels border attack
In another major operation on April 8 at about 4:20 a.m., security forces responded to a distress call reporting an 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.
A joint team comprising the Police Tactical Unit, military personnel, Community Guard Watch and local vigilantes engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle.
“The bandits were eventually overpowered and forced to flee into the bush with gunshot wounds,” Shaffa said. “During the pursuit, the criminals abandoned a sack containing 167 rounds of live ammunition, which has been recovered and registered as evidence.”
Coordinated raids yield arrests, weapons
On April 15, 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.
Three suspects were arrested: Isiya Yusuf of Maganga Village (Goronyo LGA), Dankulu Sani of Dogon Daji (Tambuwal LGA), and Yushau Abubakar of Kware LGA. Recovered items included seven locally fabricated Dane guns, an AK-47 magazine, a military uniform, cutlasses, hard drugs, and quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
“The suspects have since been charged to court in accordance with the law,” Shaffa confirmed.
Public urged to report suspicious activity
CP Shaffa reaffirmed his commitment to protecting lives and property, saying the Command has recalibrated its internal enforcement mechanisms to ensure maximum efficiency in compliance with the Inspector General of Police’s directives.
He attributed the successes to the dedication of police personnel, collaboration with other security agencies, and community stakeholders.
Members of the public can report suspicious activities via the Control Room on 08026451719, the Complaint Response Unit on 07068718182, or the Police Public Relations Office on 08032861946.
