The Katsina State Police Command has successfully apprehended a seven-man armed robbery syndicate, recovering stolen goods valued at approximately N4 million. The breakthrough was made possible by the Funtua Area Command, following intelligence-led operations.

According to ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, the syndicate was responsible for robbing a motorist transporting valuable goods along the Kano-Zaria highway on September 8, 2024. The criminals had blocked the road with stones, forcing the driver to stop before tying him up and loading the stolen goods—94 bundles of wrappers and lace materials—into two vehicles. The vehicles used in the operation, a Volkswagen Golf III and a Ford Focus, were recovered with the stolen goods.

Further investigation revealed that this same gang had been involved in other thefts, including stealing grains and cooking oil, using the recovered vehicles for their crimes. The police are continuing their investigations to gather more details.

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Other Arrests and Recoveries

In another operation, the Katsina police arrested three suspects in possession of a locally fabricated firearm and four rounds of live ammunition. The suspects, Janaidu Yusuf, Abubakar Dahiru, and Murtala Halliru, were detained after Yusuf posted a picture of himself with the illegal weapon on social media, drawing the attention of law enforcement. Upon questioning, the suspects admitted to their involvement in the gun’s acquisition, although Halliru, who initially provided the firearm, could not account for how he obtained it.

In a separate incident, the police arrested Bala Muhammad, a notorious thief, in possession of a stolen Volkswagen Golf III vehicle. Muhammad confessed to stealing the vehicle from Yakawada village in Kaduna State. The police are currently conducting further investigations into the case.