Kano Police Arrest Three Suspected Vehicle Thieves, Recover Four Tricycles

The Kano State Police Command has arrested three suspected vehicle thieves in separate intelligence-led operations, recovering four allegedly stolen tricycles and a maroon Pontiac vehicle.

The Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, saying the operations were carried out in collaboration with other security formations across state boundaries.

The first case was reported on August 4 by Abubakar Ali of Danmarke, Hotoro Quarters, after his tricycle was allegedly stolen.

According to the police, Ali was travelling along Hadejia Road when he picked up 23-year-old Muhammad Sani as a passenger. Sani, who had bandages on his hand and leg and claimed to be injured, allegedly asked the rider to stop at a supermarket to buy some items.

Police said that while Ali was away, Sani allegedly used another key to start the tricycle and drove away.

Following the report, officers at Bompai Police Division alerted neighbouring divisions. A patrol team from Bichi Police Division later arrested Sani.

Further investigation led officers to Katsina State, where they arrested another alleged member of the syndicate, 33-year-old Aminu Saad. Four suspected stolen tricycles were recovered from him.

The police said the tricycles were allegedly stolen using a similar method and that Saad confessed to being a member of the syndicate.

The four recovered tricycles have since been returned to their rightful owners, while investigations continue to apprehend other members of the alleged criminal network.

In a separate operation, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad arrested 23-year-old Isah Yusuf of Titin Jajira, Rijiyar Lemo, Kano, on July 25.

Yusuf was allegedly found in possession of a maroon Pontiac vehicle without a registration number. He reportedly claimed that he purchased the vehicle from Niger Republic through a man identified as Ashiru Mohammed, also known as Mai Gold.

Further investigation, however, revealed that the vehicle had allegedly been stolen from Taraba State before being taken to Niger Republic, where it was sold to a dealer and later brought back into Nigeria.

The police have appealed to the vehicle's rightful owner to come forward with valid proof of ownership through the Anti-Kidnapping Squad or the office of the Police Public Relations Officer at the Bompai Police Headquarters.

The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, commended the officers for the arrests and recoveries, describing the operations as evidence of the importance of intelligence-led policing and cooperation among security formations.

He assured residents that the command would continue its operations under the IGP's Handshake Patrol strategy to tackle criminal activities across Kano State and its environs.

Bakori also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the police.