THE Sokoto State Police Command has arrested suspected financiers of banditry and members of a motorcycle-theft syndicate in two coordinated operations conducted on Wednesday in Sokoto and neighbouring Zamfara State.
In a statement issued on Friday, December 6, the Command’s spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai, said three men were arrested in Tangaza Local Government Area for allegedly providing financial support to a notorious bandit gang by facilitating the sale of rustled cattle.
“One of the suspects, Ruwa Ginyo, identified as the Fulani head of Gidan-Madi, was arrested alongside two accomplices. Four rustled cows were recovered during the operation,” Rufai said.
Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Musa, described the suspects as part of the “financial engine room” sustaining bandit activities. “Cutting off their funding stream is a major victory,” he stated.
Hours after the first operation, the Command’s Strike Force raided Talata Mafara in Zamfara State, arresting several individuals linked to a motorcycle-theft and resale network. Two motorcycles stolen in Sokoto were recovered.
Musa said the arrests reflect the Command’s widening operational capability. “Our message is clear: if you commit a crime in Sokoto, we will find you — even if you run to another state. The era of criminals feeling safe across borders is over,” he said.
He urged residents, especially livestock and motorcycle dealers, to verify ownership documents before transactions and to promptly report any suspicious activity.
This was not the first time the police had made a similar arrest, as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command, in June 2023, arrested a wanted logistic supplier and informant to a kidnapping and banditry group terrorising the FCT and its environs.
The 25-year-old suspect, Mohammed Hamza, popularly known as Auta, was arrested by the anti-kidnapping unit of the command at the Mongoro Forest.