The Sokoto State Police Command has arrested three suspects for allegedly facilitating bandit operations in Tangaza Local Government Area, including conducting financial transactions for armed criminals.
The intelligence-led operation was carried out by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as part of ongoing efforts to rid communities in the area of banditry.
In a statement released yesterday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Rufai, said the arrests were made during two coordinated operations on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, demonstrating the Command’s “proactive and far-reaching operational capacity.”
“Acting on credible intelligence, operatives conducted a targeted operation in the Tangaza area at around 1400 hours, resulting in the arrest of one Ruwa Ginyo, identified as the Fulani Head of Gidan-Madi, along with two accomplices,” Rufai said.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the trio allegedly served as brokers and financiers for a notorious bandit group, receiving rustled cattle, arranging their sale, and transferring the proceeds to armed criminals.
In a related operation, Rufai said a Strike Force team extended activities into the Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, resulting in arrests of suspects involved in criminal conspiracy, motorcycle theft, and receiving stolen property.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Musa, commended the operatives for their “exceptional work and vigilance,” noting that the dual operations targeted both the financial and logistical networks of criminal gangs.
Musa added that the arrests demonstrated the command’s expanding operational reach, warning: “If you commit a crime in Sokoto, we will find you, even if you run to another state.”
He also urged livestock and motorcycle dealers to verify ownership documents before transactions and report suspicious activities promptly, emphasizing that public cooperation is crucial.
“Public cooperation remains our strongest asset. Every credible tip brings us closer to making our communities safer,” he said.
