No fewer than 938 suspected political thugs, drug sellers and addicts have been arrested by the police in Kano state within one week.
The PPRO Kano police command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna who confirmed the arrest, said 851 of the suspects had been charged to court for prosecution while 87 others are still under investigation.
Haruna said the suspects were arrested at various locations across the state during special raid of criminal hideouts by the police.
He said the raid was aimed at ridding the state of criminal elements to pave way for a peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections.
He said the suspects were arrested within the last one week following the assumption of office of the current commissioner of police, Mohammed Wakili.
The police spokesman revealed that about 130 parcels and over 11, 000 wraps of substance suspected to be Indian hemp have been recovered from the suspects besides other intoxicants including refanol, diazepam, and rubber solution among others.
He disclosed that the commissioner’s resolve for onslaught on drug sales and abuse in the state was predicated on the understanding that most criminals take drugs before they commit any crime.
“Since the arrival of the current Commissioner of Police, he has been very tough about the issue of political thuggery and those abusing drug that is why you see the police always looking for them. He keeps saying that most of these offences are related to drugs.
“When we conducted an investigation here in the command we found out that most of the suspects before they commit any offence they must take drugs that is why he is always serious about the issue of drugs, and the assumption of the command is that if we can rid the state of this drug abuse, we can then eliminate other crimes” Haruna said.
Meanwhile, the commissioner vowed to launch an onslaught on drug barons with a view to tackling the menace of drug abuse in the state.
Kano has been identified as one of the hot spots for drug abuse in the country with reported daily consumption rate of 2million bottles of codeine.
The CP disclosed this while addressing members of the Kano state election peace committee who paid him a courtesy visit in his office yesterday, CP Mohammed said drug users are victims of drug culture.
He said he has directed all divisional heads under his command to monitor and arrest drug barons within their jurisdiction.
“The problem is not drug users but the drug barons, the users are just victims. In view of that I have directed my DPOs to arrest drug barons within their areas of jurisdiction” the CP said.
The committee was in the command to seek the support of the police Chieftain towards ensuring a peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections.
The committee was led by its co-chairs Professor Emeritus Ibrahim Umar and the Catholic Bishop of Kano Diocese, Rev. Dr John Namaza Niyiring.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Bishop Niyiring while commending the CP over the sanity being entrenched following the arrest of almost 1000 thugs, urged the CP to maintain a neutral status during the elections.
CP Mohammed expressed appreciation for the visit and promised to work with the committee to see to an enduring peace before, during and after the elections.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
