Kano Police Catch Three Vehicle Thieves, Recover Four Tricycles

The Kano State Police have arrested three suspected vehicle thieves. They did this during separate operations based on intelligence. They also recovered four stolen tricycles and a maroon Pontiac vehicle.

CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, shared this news in a statement on Tuesday. The operations involved working with other security agencies across state borders.

The first case started on August 4. Abubakar Ali, who lives in Danmarke, Hotoro Quarters, reported that his tricycle was stolen at the Bompai Police Division. He said he was riding along Hadejia Road when he picked up a 23-year-old passenger named Muhammad Sani.

“The complainant said he was riding along Hadejia Road when he picked a 23-year-old passenger, Muhammad Sani, at Sufi Mart,” the statement noted. The police said Sani had bandages on his hand and leg. He pretended to be injured and asked Ali to stop at a supermarket so he could buy something.

“While the complainant was away, the suspect used another key to ignite the tricycle and drove away,” the police explained. After receiving the report, Bompai police informed nearby divisions. This led to Sani's arrest by a patrol team from Bichi Police Division.

Investigators later traced the operation to Katsina State. They arrested another suspect, 33-year-old Aminu Saad. He had four suspected stolen tricycles with him. The police said these tricycles were taken in a similar way. Saad admitted he was part of the group.

“The four recovered tricycles have since been handed over to their rightful owners, while investigation is ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of the syndicate,” Kiyawa added.

In another operation, members of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad arrested 23-year-old Isah Yusuf from Titin Jajira, Rijiyar Lemo, Kano, on July 25. The police found him with a maroon Pontiac that did not have a registration number. Yusuf claimed he bought it from Niger Republic through a man named Ashiru Mohammed, also known as Mai Gold.

Further investigation showed that the vehicle had been stolen from Taraba State. It was then taken to Niger Republic, sold to a dealer, and later brought back to Nigeria. The police asked the rightful owner of the vehicle to come forward with proof of ownership through the Anti-Kidnapping Squad or the PPRO’s office at the Bompai Police Headquarters.

The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, praised the officers for their successful operations and recoveries. “These breakthroughs demonstrate the importance of intelligence-led policing and effective collaboration among our formations, particularly across state boundaries,” Bakori said.

He assured residents that the command would keep working under the IGP’s Handshake Patrol strategy to fight crime. “We will continue to work with the people of Kano State to identify and dismantle criminal networks operating within the state and its surroundings,” he stated.

The commissioner also urged residents to stay alert and quickly report any suspicious activities to the police.