Three suspects have been arrested by operatives of the Sokoto State Police Command for alleged involvement in motorcycle theft and the sale of stolen property in Sokoto State.

The Command’s Strike Force Unit made the arrest of the suspects following a tip-off from a resident.

A statement issued by the state police command’s spokesman, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, stated that the operation was carried out on May 23, 2026, at about 10:00 a.m., after intelligence reports linked some individuals to criminal activities in the area.

Acting on credible intelligence, he said the operatives conducted coordinated raids at Kano Road, Runjin Sambo, Gidan Dare, and Gidan Man Ada, leading to the arrest of the suspects and identified one of the suspects as Yahuza Abubakar from Darna Village in Wamakko Local Government Area.

During interrogation, Rufa’i stated that the suspect confessed to stealing a red Kasea motorcycle and selling it to an accomplice.

According to the statement, “The confession reportedly led detectives to Alhaji Samaila Aliyu of Gidan Igwai, who was arrested for allegedly receiving the stolen motorcycle.”

According to the statement, police also recovered an ash-coloured Haojue motorcycle from Aliyu during the investigation, revealing that the stolen red Kasea motorcycle had been sold to Ahmed Abdullahi of the Gawon Nama area.

Police said Abdullahi was subsequently arrested, and the motorcycle was recovered from him, while other recovered exhibits included one red Kasea motorcycle, one ash-coloured Haojue motorcycle, and two master keys suspected to have been used in the theft operations.

Rufa’i explained that investigations were still ongoing to determine whether the suspects were connected to other motorcycle theft syndicates operating within the state, as all suspects remain in police custody and will be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.

Fire has gutted 10 shops at the Katsina Central Market, also known as Fatima Baika Market, in the early hours of Tuesday.

Some traders attributed the incident to a solar-powered electricity inverter, alleging that it sparked the blaze that quickly spread through parts of the market.

The spokesperson of the Katsina State Fire Service, Rabe Audi, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying a distress call was received shortly after the fire started, prompting firefighters to swiftly mobilise to the scene.

He said the prompt response helped to prevent the fire from spreading to other sections of the market, adding that seven nearby shops and several goods were successfully saved.

According to him, 10 shops were completely destroyed in the inferno before it was brought under control.

The affected shops reportedly included those dealing in food items, beverages, textiles, curtains and other assorted goods, while a Peugeot 406 vehicle was also among properties rescued from the fire.

Rabe Audi noted that the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but advised members of the public, especially users of solar inverter systems, to ensure proper installation and maintenance to prevent similar incidents.

He assured that a full assessment of the damage would be conducted to determine the extent of losses recorded in the market.

The combined team of security operatives have arrested three suspected kidnappers after they were identified by victims in Jattu market, in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.

DAILY POST reports that the suspects were arrested by the combined team of operatives of Edo State Police Command, Jattu Division and the State security outfit codename, Edo State Security Corps, ESSC.

The spokesperson of the Command, ASP Eno Ikoedem disclosed this to newsmen in Benin City.

Ikoedem gave the names of the suspects as Nura Dahiru,  22, Ibrahim Yakubu, 25 and Abubakar Inusa, 23.

She said two of the suspects were identified by one Mrs Ibrahim Jemila, and one other as members of the kidnapping gang responsible for their abduction. 

According to her, on the 15th May, 2026, at about 17:50 hours, the Divisional Police Officer, Jattu Division, received credible information that one of the suspected kidnappers of one Ibrahim Jemila ‘f’, who was abducted and later released on 13th May, 2026, had been sighted at Jattu Market. 

“Acting swiftly on the information, operatives of the Division mobilised in collaboration with members of the Edo State Security Corps to the location where three suspects were arrested.

“In the course of investigation, two of the suspects, Nura Dahiru and Ibrahim Yakubu, have been positively identified by Jemila and one other as members of the kidnapping gang responsible for their abduction”, she said.

Ikoedem described the arrest as another breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes in the State by the Command.