DIG urges Sokoto leaders, youths to support fight against banditry

Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Administration and Finance, Suleiman Muhammad Abdul, has called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, youths and community groups in Sokoto State to support security agencies in tackling banditry, arms trafficking and other crimes in the North-West.

Abdul made the call on Monday during a stakeholders’ engagement in Sokoto, where he said addressing insecurity required the active participation of local communities.

He noted that Sokoto’s border with the Niger Republic made the state vulnerable to arms trafficking and other transnational crimes.

The DIG urged traditional rulers to strengthen grassroots intelligence gathering, while religious leaders should continue to preach peace and discourage violence. 

He also called on youths to resist recruitment by criminal groups.

Abdul said the Nigeria Police Force would continue to promote community policing and intelligence-led operations to improve security across Sokoto and the wider North-West region.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in Sokoto State, Hayatu Usman, said the command had recorded successes in recent operations, including the recovery of firearms and ammunition, rescue of kidnap victims, arrest of suspects and recovery of stolen livestock.

Usman, however, identified logistics challenges, manpower shortages and the changing tactics of criminal groups as some of the difficulties facing the command.

He said the achievements recorded by the police were made possible through intelligence-driven operations and support from stakeholders across the state.