…dismantle arm-smuggling syndicate, arrest 157 suspects in Kano
The Delta State Police Command on Wednesday said it arrested over 106 suspects involved in serious crimes in the State in the first quarter of this year.
These include 35 suspected armed robbers, 24 suspected kidnappers, 23 suspected cultists, five murder suspects. Others are four suspects arrested over rape and defilement offences.
The Command also rescued a total of 13 kidnapped victims within the period under review, just as it recovered 53 firearms, 5,612 ammunitions and cartridges.
Olufemi Abaniwonda, Delta State Commissioner for Police made the revelations at a media briefing in Asaba on Wednesday., expressing appreciation to the Delta State Government, other sister security agencies, and the good people of Delta state for their continuous support to the Delta State Police Command.
Meanwhile, the operatives of the Kano State Command of the Nigeria Police Force have uncovered a criminal syndicate involved in the smuggling of firearms, as well as effect the arrest of 157-armed robbery suspects behind various recent crimes in the State.
A total of nineteen (19) fabricated revolver rifles with one hundred and fourteen (114) live cartridges, and six (6) expended cartridges, as well as drugs suspected to be tramadol tablets valued at about N150 million were said to have been recovered in the past four weeks from the arrested suspects.
Read also: Police kill 4 kidnappers, recover 18 rifles in Delta, Kano operations
Ibrahim A. Bakori, Commissioner of Police, revealed this while, briefing journalists at Bompai Headquarters of the Command, on recent achievements in the areas of crime prevention, management, and control.
He said, “Thank you all for joining us today as we gather here to intimate you on the current security situation of Kano State and highlight the achievements recorded by the Kano State Police Command in crime prevention, management and control since my assumption of duty on 17th March, 2025.
“As you are aware, the primary responsibility of the Police is protection of life and property. When I assumed duty as the 47th Commissioner of Police in the State, I was fully briefed on the security challenges that lay ahead.
“After obtaining briefs, it became clear that addressing the pervasive issues of thuggery, particularly the notorious ‘Fadan Daba’, drug abuse (Kwaya), armed robbery and other violent crimes must be our top priorities. Going forward, the Kano State Police Command has been working diligently to addressing these challenges head-on.
“It is a well-established fact that the issue of security is a collective responsibility and a holistic concept that require the active involvement and support of everyone. Over the past four weeks, the Command intensified intelligence-led joint operations, round-the-clock visibility patrols and initiated strategic partnerships with community members.
“These proactive and collaborative efforts are yielding positive results. Parts of the successes recorded are the breakthroughs that led to the dismantling of criminal networks that specialised in smuggling of firearms in to the state which led to the recovery of nineteen (19) fabricated revolver rifles with one hundred and fourteen (114) live cartridges and six (6) expended cartridges, as well as recovery of suspected tramadol tablets worth one hundred and fifty million naira (₦150,000,000:00).
“From 17th March 2025 to date, a total of one hundred and fifty-seven (157) suspects involved in armed robbery, thuggery (Fadan Daba), theft, illicit drug dealings and other violent crimes were arrested with recovery from them of firearms, dangerous weapons, illicit drugs and stolen properties.”
