The Katsina State Police Command says it arrested 247 suspects and rescued 17 kidnapped victims during operations across the state in August 2026.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, disclosed this on Friday on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Umar Fage, during a press conference at the Command Headquarters in Katsina.
According to him, those arrested included three suspected kidnappers, 15 armed robbery suspects, four suspected informants to bandits, 31 drug peddling suspects and 13 suspects linked to murder and culpable homicide.
He added that 20 suspects were arrested over rape and sodomy, while another 160 were apprehended for other criminal offences.
The PPRO said the Command recorded and acted on 122 major criminal cases during the month, with 89 cases already charged to court after preliminary investigations.
He said the rescued kidnapping victims had been debriefed, medically examined and reunited with their families.
Among the exhibits recovered during the operations were one AK-47 rifle, 145 suspected rustled livestock, one vehicle, six motorcycles, one sewing machine and 1,500 pieces of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF).
The Police also recovered 90 Exol-5 tablets, 141 Tramadol capsules, recharge cards, one bottle of blue spirit and vandalised wires, which the Command said would be tendered before the courts as evidence.
Aliyu said the achievements followed sustained intelligence-led operations, community policing, patrols and collaboration with other security agencies, particularly in areas identified as crime hotspots.
He said the Command would continue to intensify efforts against kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling, arms trafficking and other forms of criminality.
The Police appealed to residents to remain vigilant and provide timely information through the Command’s dedicated hotlines, while warning criminal elements to desist from unlawful activities or face prosecution.
The command also expressed appreciation to the Katsina State government under Governor Dikko Umaru Radda and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for their support.