The Katsina State Police Command has arrested 120 suspects for various offences, including armed robbery, culpable homicide, rape, unnatural offences, and possession of illicit drugs, among others.

Abubakar Sadiq, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, while briefing journalists at the command headquarters on Tuesday in Katsina, said the command had recorded significant successes in its efforts to ensure a safer Katsina State.

According to him, “here are 5 major crimes we’ve tackled, along with the number of suspects arrested, armed robbery: 18 suspects arrested, culpable homicide/murder: 28 suspects arrested, attempt to commit homicide: 5 suspects, rape/unnatural offence: 20 suspects arrested, being in possession of illicit drugs: 28 suspects arrested.

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“Out of these cases reported, 97 have been charged to court, as 22 cases are currently under investigation.

“Forty-seven kidnapped victims and 39 human trafficking victims were successfully rescued and reunited with their families within the period under review”, he said.

He explained that in the course of the operations, the command succeeded in recovering exhibits, 1 AK-47 rifle, 1 locally made gun, 183 rounds of live ammunition, 3 motor vehicles (1 golf, 1 Toyota Corolla, and 1 Toyota RAV4), 1 tricycle, 4 motorcycles, 201 suspected rustled animals comprising 76 cows, 27 sheep, etc. 131 illicit drugs (82 bottles of fentanyl injection, 56 sachets of Exol, 61 wraps of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis, 13 pregabalin tabs, and 1 sachet of tramadol), 100 meters of vandalised high tension cables, among other exhibits.

He further noted that, “Despite these modest achievements, more work needs to be done. We pledge to redouble our efforts and commit to building on these successes to make Katsina State an even safer place for all. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect and serve the community, and we call on all stakeholders to join us in this fight against crime.”

While appreciating the people of the State, he warned against spreading fake news noting that, “we cannot stress enough the dangers of propagating fake news and misinformation. Fake news can cause harm to individuals, communities, and society at large.

“We urge everyone to be responsible and verify information before sharing it. Let’s build a culture of truth and accuracy. Do not contribute to the spread of false information. Report any suspicious or fake news to the authorities.

“We will not hesitate to take action against those spreading fake news. Let’s work together to create a safer and more informed society,” he warned.