The Sokoto State Police Command has arrested three suspected financiers of banditry and several others linked to motorcycle theft and criminal conspiracy, following two coordinated intelligence-led operations that also led to the recovery of rustled cattle and stolen motorcycles.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued on Friday, noting that the successful operations showed the command’s strengthened security response and improved intelligence gathering.
According to Rufai, the first operation was conducted on Wednesday by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) after actionable intelligence pointed to suspicious activities in Tangaza Local Government Area.
He said officers apprehended one Ruwa Ginyo of Gidan-Madi alongside two alleged accomplices believed to be major brokers and financiers working with a notorious bandit group.
“Investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly received rustled cattle from armed bandits, sold them in markets, and remitted the proceeds to the criminals,” Rufai said, adding that the suspects confessed during questioning.
Four rustled cows were recovered from the group at the time of their arrest, as they attempted to move the animals for sale.
In a separate operation in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of neighbouring Zamfara State, police investigators tracked and arrested multiple suspects linked to motorcycle theft, receiving stolen property, and criminal conspiracy.
“During the cross-border operation, two suspected stolen motorcycles were recovered, with preliminary investigations linking the items to an ongoing case in Sokoto,” the PPRO disclosed.
Rufai noted that all arrested suspects are currently in police custody as investigations continue to unravel the wider criminal networks spanning the two states.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Musa, praised the operatives for their professionalism and commitment in executing both the internal and cross-state operations effectively.
He urged residents to continue partnering with law enforcement agencies by providing credible information that can aid security efforts, assuring that such reports will be handled with maximum confidentiality.
Sokoto Police arrest three alleged bandit financiers, recover rustled cattle stolen motorcycles
