The Kano State Police Command says it has arrested 259 suspected criminals in continuation of the Operation Puff Adder in the past six weeks in the state.
The police also disclosed that it recovered 150 expired Coca-Cola drinks worth N150,000.
The Commissioner of Police, Habu Ahmad, made the disclosure at a news conference on Wednesday in Kano.
Ahmad said the arrests were made between July 23 and September 8 as part of effort to fight crimes, protect lives and property in the state.
He noted that the suspects were arrested at different times and locations within the period under review in the state.
Ahmad explained that the arrest was achieved as a result of the effective strategies under the directives of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
“With sustained Puff-Adder Operations, community policing engagement and other crime fighting strategies, the command has to execute its policing mandate,” he said.
Ahmad said the suspects included 45 suspected armed robbers, eight members of a kidnapping gang, 14 motor vehicle thieves, seven tricycle thieves and 14 motorcycle thieves.
He listed other suspects to include eight suspected drug dealers, 28 fraudsters and 146 thugs, adding that the command also rescued four victims of solitary confinement and free five captives from their captors.
He added: “The command recovered 10 rifles, including one AK 47 rifle, two pistols, four locally made guns, three locally made pistols, 79 live ammunition and 84 knives.
“Other recovered items included 13 vehicles, seven tricycles, nine motorcycles, and 914 parcels of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp weighing 548.4kg valued N4.5 million.
“Also recovered were three jerry cans containing narcotics, four cartons of rubber solution and 200 cartons of suspected fake cold drugs without NAFDAC number valued at N4 million, 82 bottles of codeine syrup, 73 cellphones, one Point of Sale device, 985 used MTN SIM cards and 469 used SIM cards among others,” he said.
According to Ahmad, the command also recovered 1,958 out of the 3,850 cartons of noodles valued at N4 million, adding that the noodles with label: CA-COVID-19, was suspected to be diverted from Benue State palliative for COVID-19 pandemic.
While commending the people of the state for their cooperation and support to the command, Ahmad urged them to work toward promoting community policing at the grassroots.
