Sokoto state commissioner of police, Ibrahim Sani Kaoje, has reiterated that the command will leave no breathing space for any criminal element in the state.
Kaoje, while parading twenty suspected criminals arrested within the state at the command headquarter on Wednesday, boasted that the resolve to nip cattle rustling in the bud, following reviewed operational strategies and concerted efforts of operatives of the command, is yielding successes.
According to him, “the command was able to burst a gang of rustlers armed with cutlass, sword and sticks, who invaded the houses of a complainant and carted away cows, sheep and goats, and loaded them in one Ford vehicle with Reg. No. AA 344 BLE Sokoto.
“On interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and admitted that they stole the animals from Bodinga LGA, Sokoto and Dange/Shunnu LGA, respectively from the houses of the owners. Twenty four (24) Sheep, eight (8) goats, eleven (11) Cows and three motorcycles were recovered in their possession. The suspects also offered bribe sum of seven hundred thousand naira (N700, 000.00k) to the Police patrol team to allow them to escape but the Police refused and got them arrested.
“Following another tip-off, Operatives of IGP STS Sokoto Sector stormed the hideout of one Samaila Alhaji Mamman, who is allegedly involved in cattle rustling and acting as an informant to bandits in the region. In the course of the investigation, a total of 41 cattles were recovered at Goronyo axis of Sokoto.”
Kaoje further stated that “one Abubakar Ibrahim, a commercial motorcyclist, reported at Rabah Police Station that while he was riding on his Kasea motorcycle with a passenger, heading to Tafara village, on getting to Sangiwa bush, suddenly one Muhammadu Mustapha, who was in possession of a stick and gun, blocked the road and when he sighted the gun he abandoned his motorcycle and ran for their life. The suspect was arrested and he has confessed to the crime, the gun was also recovered.
“A police patrol team attached to Sabon Birni Division, while on patrol along Sabon Birni LGA Sokoto State, intercepted a suspect in possession of the sum of one million one hundred and sixty seven thousand nine hundred naira (N1,167,900:00k) which he confessed that it was given to him by a notorious Kidnapper popularly known as Yellow to hand over the money to somebody still at large to purchase motorcycles. The case is still under investigation.
“One Bello Aliyu and Abubaka Bala, both of Sokoto Metropolis were apprehended at Usmanu Danfodiyo University premises while attempting to steal a motorcycle. The suspect was found in possession of a master key with which they open any vehicle or motorcycle. The principal suspect Bello Aliyu was also found in possession of the sum of Two Hundred and ten thousand naira (N210,000:00k) and one Haojue motorcycle without registration number.
Also paraded are the duo of Bilal Ishaku and Abdulrasheed Haruna both of GRA Police Barracks Sokoto, who allegedly conspired among themselves, armed with cutlasses and axe attacked, inflicted serious injury on one of the complainant’s head. The suspects when arrested confessed to the crime, one Techno handset was recovered in their possession.
