Police Kill 23 Suspected Terrorists, Arrest 37 Bandits In Sokoto

Sokoto, usually referred to as Sokoto State to distinguish it from the city of Sokoto, is located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested 23 suspected terrorists and arrested 37 bandits in three local government areas of Sokoto State.

Addressing journalists on Monday in Sokoto, the Deputy Inspector General (Operations), Ahmed Zaki, said the suspects were arrested with 32 AK-47 riffles, two rocket launchers, over 1,000 rounds of life ammunition and sophisticated weapons.

He said the feat was recorded during a police special operation to fight banditry codenamed Operation Sahara Storm.

The exercise was carried out in Illela, Goronyo and Rabba local government areas of the state where bandits and other criminals have made life unbearable to residents in the areas.

According to Zaki, over 150 cows were also recovered and more than 40 cartoons of hard drugs, assorted charms, solar battery chargers with other equipment aiding the operations of the suspected criminals.

The DIG said the operation was ordered by the Inspector General of Police to fight the rising criminal activities in the North-West geopolitical region.

One of the suspects arrested, Musa Kamarawa told journalists that he has been working with bandits in the last four years.

He said he collected the sum of N28 million to purchase a gun truck from neighbouring Benin Republic.