The Sokoto State Police Command has shifted its anti-banditry strategy to the financial networks sustaining criminal groups, arresting suspected funders and syndicate members in coordinated operations spanning Sokoto and Zamfara states.
In a statement on Friday, December 5, 2025, the Command’s spokesperson, Ahmed Rufai, said three men were arrested in Tangaza Local Government Area for allegedly acting as key financial backers to a notorious bandit group by facilitating the sale of rustled cattle.
“One of the suspects, Ruwa Ginyo — the Fulani head of Gidan-Madi — was picked up with two collaborators. Four rustled cows were recovered,” Rufai said, describing them as part of a system that quietly fuels bandit operations.
Commissioner of Police Ahmed Musa said the arrests target the “financial engine room” of violent groups. “Cutting off their funding stream is a major victory,” he declared.
Later that same day, in a separate sting operation, the Command’s Strike Force stormed Talata Mafara in Zamfara State, dismantling a suspected motorcycle theft and resale network believed to be aiding criminal mobility. Two motorcycles earlier reported stolen in Sokoto were recovered.
Musa said the cross-border operations highlight the Command’s growing capacity to track criminals beyond state lines.
“Our message is simple: Crime has no safe haven. If you flee Sokoto, we will find you — even across state borders,” he said.
He urged livestock and motorcycle dealers to demand proof of ownership before transactions and to promptly report suspicious activity, stressing that economic vigilance is now central to defeating organised crime.
