Police arrest criminal kingpin in Sokoto

The Sokoto State Police command has arrested a suspected criminal kingpin said to have been engaged in multiple crimes across the state in the past four years. The command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Cordelia Nwawe, said the suspect, who was arrested on June 21, had been linked to eight different crimes. She disclosed […]

The Sokoto State Police command has arrested a suspected criminal kingpin said to have been engaged in multiple crimes across the state in the past four years.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Cordelia Nwawe, said the suspect, who was arrested on June 21, had been linked to eight different crimes. She disclosed that 25 other criminals were also arrested in the state.

Nwawe said the kingpin’s crimes include: criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, causing hurt and belonging to unlawful groups perpetrating various crimes on the citizens as well as recruiting young people.

She said the suspect operated a terror group named, Samisa or Falluja, in Hubbare area in Sokoto metropolis. 

The suspect said he had 17 members who occasionally came out to unleash terror on residents of the state, she said, adding that the suspect had a rival group at Rinin Tawaye area in Sokoto whose activities usually disrupted people’s peace in the area.

In a related development, Nwawe said the command also arrested two suspected drug peddlers with consignment of substances suspected to be illicit drugs and Indian hemp at Tamaje area of Sokoto.

The PPRO said the command had commenced a manhunt for criminals, adding that the exercise had yielded fruit with the arrest of 46 suspects.

She said the arrest included six girls accused of committing various offences across the 23 local government areas in the state, adding that out of the 46 suspects, 26 were presented to the public while others had been taken to courts. (NAN)