KEY POINTS

• DIG Suleiman Mohammad Abdul says banditry cannot be defeated by security agencies alone.
• He urges Sokoto communities to boost vigilance, intelligence sharing and lawful cooperation.
• Sokoto police report recovering rifles, rescuing 32 kidnap victims and neutralizing four bandits.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Finance and Administration and supervising the North-West, Suleiman Mohammad Abdul, has called on residents of Sokoto State to take greater ownership of security by strengthening community vigilance, intelligence sharing and collaboration with law enforcement. He spoke during an interactive meeting with community leaders, civil society groups, religious leaders and youth organizations at the Sokoto State Police Command headquarters.

Security as a shared duty

According to Abdul, security agencies cannot win the fight against banditry and other crimes alone. He stressed that sustainable peace will only come through collective commitment and cooperation between citizens and security institutions. “While our officers confront criminals on the frontlines, lasting peace can only be achieved through united, vigilant and resilient communities,” he said.

Moreover, the DIG warned that Sokoto’s extensive international border and vast rural terrain pose unique challenges, including cross-border crime, illegal arms trafficking and the activities of informants who aid bandits. Therefore, he said the police are repositioning their relationship with communities around three priorities: rebuilding public trust, strengthening community-based intelligence and dismantling criminal networks through active citizen participation.

A call to leaders and youths

Furthermore, Abdul urged traditional rulers to stay vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities, describing them as the authorities closest to the grassroots. He also appealed to religious leaders to promote peace and discourage young people from joining criminal groups or serving as informants. In addition, he challenged youths to reject criminality and channel their energy into productive ventures and neighbourhood watch programmes.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, described the visit as a boost to the command’s operations. Reviewing his record since March, Shaffa said operations had led to the recovery of seven AK-47 rifles, several other weapons and 153 rounds of ammunition. He added that officers recovered 310 rustled animals, rescued 32 kidnapped victims, neutralized four bandits and arrested three suspected informants.

However, Shaffa identified manpower shortages, weak logistics, inadequate equipment and emerging cybercrime threats as urgent concerns. Ultimately, he thanked the state government, traditional institutions and community stakeholders for support such as patrol vehicles and intelligence cooperation, while the meeting closed with stakeholders exchanging views on improving security and public trust across Sokoto.