Step up battle against lawbreakers in Kano, Police boss instructs officers

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The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, on Wednesday directed officers and men of the Kano State Police Command to intensify offensive operations against criminal elements.

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Disu noted that proactive policing remains the most effective strategy for tackling insecurity and protecting the state’s economic assets.

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The IG gave the order through the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Finance and Administration, DIG Suleiman Abdul, during a strategic lecture held at the Kano State Police Command Headquarters at Bompai, Kano on Wednesday.

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The lecture titled: “Asymmetric Threat Preemption, Urban Gang Management, and Securing Commercial Hubs,” the DIG described Kano as a critical commercial hub whose security has far-reaching implications for economic activities across Northern Nigeria and the wider West African region.

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The IG appreciated the command’s recent operational achievements, particularly its aggressive campaign against bandits, armed robbers, and other criminal elements.

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“You have taken the battle straight to the criminals with bold actions, recording major successes through arrests and the neutralisation of bandits and their kingpins. It is far better to strike first and remain on the offensive than to be merely reactive,” the IG said.

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The police hierarchy also unveiled a six-point security strategy aimed at strengthening internal security nationwide.

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The pillars include intelligence-led and technology-driven policing, strict accountability and respect for human rights, community policing, inter-agency collaboration, operational specialization, and improved personnel welfare.

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The IG urged officers in Kano to deploy modern crime-fighting tools, including digital forensics, crime data analytics, and the Nigeria Police Force Incident and Crime Database, to identify criminal networks, monitor hotspots, and dismantle organised gangs.

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He further directed the command to sustain pressure on violent youth gangs popularly known as Yan’Daba, cybercriminals, and other criminal groups seeking to exploit Kano’s vast commercial environment.

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The IG emphasised that public trust remains vital to effective policing, calling for regular engagement with market associations, youth groups, traditional rulers and religious leaders to improve intelligence gathering and crime prevention efforts.

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He warned that corruption, extortion, abuse of power, and human rights violations would not be tolerated, stressing that the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit was created to promote professionalism, accountability, and intelligence-driven operations.

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Earlier in his remarks, the state Police Commissioner, Ibrahim Bakori, highlighted the command’s achievements in combating crime across the state.

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According to him, the command arrested and prosecuted 1,357 suspects between January 2026 and June 2026 for offences including armed robbery, kidnapping, thuggery, drug-related crimes, motor vehicle theft and other criminal activities.

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Bakori attributed the successes to intelligence-led investigations, proactive policing operations, the launch of the Violent Crime Response Unit and the implementation of Operation Kukan Kura, a community-based crime-fighting initiative.

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Despite the gains, the CP identified emerging security threats, including the infiltration of bandits through border communities in Tudun Wada and Kiru Local Government Areas, recurring communal clashes in Makoda and Minjibir LGAs, and persistent drug trafficking and gang-related activities within Kano metropolis.

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He said the command had intensified border patrols, stakeholder engagements, and clearance operations targeting criminal hideouts while strengthening collaboration with government authorities, traditional institutions, and community leaders.

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Bakori reaffirmed the commitment of officers and men of the command to implementing the IG’s vision of intelligence-driven and community-oriented policing to ensure the safety of lives, property, and businesses across the 44 local government areas of the state.

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