The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has directed officers and men of the Kano State Police Command to step up offensive operations against criminal elements operating in the state.
Disu said proactive policing remains the most effective way to tackle insecurity and safeguard Kano’s strategic commercial position.
The directive was conveyed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Finance and Administration, DIG Suleiman Abdul, during a strategic lecture held on Wednesday at the Kano State Police Command headquarters in Bompai.
Speaking at the event themed “Asymmetric Threat Preemption, Urban Gang Management, and Securing Commercial Hubs,” the DIG described Kano as a major commercial centre whose security is crucial not only to Northern Nigeria but also to the wider West African region.
He praised the command for recent successes in combating crime, especially its operations against bandits, armed robbers and other criminal groups.
“You have taken the fight directly to criminals through decisive actions, leading to the arrest and neutralisation of several bandits and their leaders. It is better to remain on the offensive than to be reactive,” he said.
The police leadership also unveiled a six-point strategy aimed at improving security nationwide. The plan focuses on intelligence-led and technology-driven policing, accountability and respect for human rights, community policing, inter-agency cooperation, operational specialisation and improved welfare for personnel.
Disu urged officers in Kano to make greater use of digital forensics, crime data analysis and the Nigeria Police Force Incident and Crime Database to track criminal networks and dismantle organised gangs.
He also instructed the command to sustain pressure on violent youth groups known as Yan’Daba, cybercriminals and other criminal syndicates seeking to exploit the state’s vibrant economy.
According to him, maintaining public trust is essential for effective policing. He encouraged officers to engage regularly with market associations, traditional rulers, religious leaders and youth groups to enhance intelligence gathering and crime prevention.
The IGP warned that corruption, extortion, abuse of power and human rights violations would not be tolerated, adding that the newly created Violent Crime Response Unit was established to promote professionalism and intelligence-driven operations.
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Earlier, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, revealed that the command arrested and prosecuted 1,357 suspects between January and June 2026 for offences including armed robbery, kidnapping, thuggery, drug-related crimes and vehicle theft.
Bakori attributed the achievements to intelligence-based investigations, proactive policing, the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Unit and the launch of Operation Kukan Kura, a community-focused security initiative.
Despite the progress, he identified fresh security concerns, including the infiltration of bandits through border communities in Tudun Wada and Kiru local government areas, communal clashes in Makoda and Minjibir, and increasing cases of drug trafficking and gang violence within Kano metropolis.
He said the command had strengthened border patrols, intensified operations against criminal hideouts and expanded collaboration with government agencies, traditional institutions and community leaders.
Bakori reaffirmed the commitment of the command to implementing the IGP’s vision of intelligence-led and community-oriented policing to protect lives, property and businesses across the state's 44 local government areas.
