Police Apprehend Three Suspected Thugs, Recover Weapons And Illicit Drugs In Sokoto

The arrested suspects

Three suspected thugs planning to unleash mayhem against citizens before, during, and after the current political campaign season have been apprehended by the Sokoto State Police Command.

Spokesman of the Command, DSP Sanusi Abubakar, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, June 30, said illicit drugs and some deadly weapons were recovered from the suspects.  

"In a move to prevent vulnerable youths from being radicalized and used as political thugs ahead of electioneering campaigns and snatching of ballot boxes, the police conducted an intelligence-led operation on the 29th of June 2022 which resulted in the arrest of the following insecurity elements for being in possession of illicit drugs and some deadly weapon while rehearsing to employ unprovoked violent actions on unsuspecting people in the state," the statement read.

"The suspects are: 1. Mansur Yusuf Alias Hakki 2. Abdulwahid Zakariya and 3. Bashiru Aliyu alias Mahaluki.

"This police action is the product of a sustained round-the-clock patrol by strategic commanders in the state as directed by the CP.

"It is in the light of the foregoing that the state commissioner of police, CP Muhammed Usaini Gumel FIPMA, psc is advising politicians to warn their followers to always respect the law and refrain from engaging in acts that could endanger human lives or escalate acts likely to cause destruction of property

"Therefore the police command is determined to to take decisive actions and ensure appropriate punishment of potential offenders according to extant laws and provisions of the constitution.

"The police commissioner further reiterated that this is the beginning of a new dawn in Sokoto state as all potential criminal elements are advised to change for better or face the full wrath of the law as the Command will not relent in its efforts to combat crimes in all ramifications

"The command is therefore using this medium to appeal to members of the public to be watchful on their children’s behavior and prepare them as advocate of peace."