Police Arrest 248 Suspected Kidnappers, Armed Robbers, Others In Kano

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Kano State Command, has arrested 248 suspects for various criminal offences in the state over the past month.

The commissioner of police, Ibrahim Bakori, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Bompai Police Headquarters in Kano yesterday.

Bakori said the arrests were made between April 20 and May 20, 2026, through intelligence-driven operations, coordinated raids and strengthened collaboration with other security agencies.

He said the suspects comprised 18 armed robbers, five kidnappers, 32 drug dealers, 12 motor vehicle thieves, 11 tricycle thieves, six motorcycle thieves, 15 suspected thieves and 149 suspects arrested for violent public disturbances.

The police commissioner added that three kidnapped victims were rescued and reunited with their families during the period under review.

According to him, the command intensified operations following incidents of violent crime and social disturbances reported in parts of the Kano metropolis, including Fagge, IBB Road, and Hotoro areas, as well as security concerns along the Kano-Katsina border.

He stated that the command, working in synergy with other security agencies under the Joint Task Force (JTF), reviewed its operational strategies through increased personnel deployment, intelligence-led policing, visibility patrols, and targeted raids.

Bakori said the operations led to the recovery of dangerous weapons and illicit substances, including one pistol, four locally-made revolver guns, one locally-made revolver pistol, a Dane gun and five cartridges.

Other items recovered include 232 cutlasses, 374 knives, 13 axes, 58 scissors, two bows and 23 arrows, as well as 37 clubs popularly known as “Gora”.

The command also recovered 923 parcels and 631 wraps of suspected cannabis sativa, suspected illicit drugs, seven motor vehicles, five tricycles, eight motorcycles, 34 mobile phones and 36 SIM cards.

The CP said all suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to sustaining proactive, community-centred policing to ensure peace and security across the state.