KANO POLICE ARREST 123 MOTORISTS IN NUMBER PLATE CRACKDOWN, RECOVER PISTOL, DRUGS

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Kano State Police Command has arrested 123 motorists for allegedly driving vehicles without registration plates or with concealed number plates under its ongoing Operation Clean Plate, an initiative aimed at curbing criminal activities across the state.

The command also arrested a 51-year-old suspect during the enforcement exercise, recovering a pistol, cannabis sativa, a knife, electric wires, 120 lithium batteries and a suspected stolen vehicle.

Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the Command Headquarters in Bompai, Kano.

Bakori said the operation was introduced to address the increasing use of unregistered or improperly identified vehicles, which he described as a tactic commonly employed by criminals to conceal their identities and evade security checks.

According to him, the command has intercepted 123 vehicles across various local government areas since the commencement of the operation, adding that all the motorists have been charged to court.

“This is not a mere traffic violation. It is a deliberate tactic employed by criminals to create anonymity, commit crime and evade detection,” the commissioner said.

“The Kano State Police Command under my watch will not allow our roads to be used as escape routes for criminality,” he added.

Bakori said the arrest of the 51-year-old suspect at the Panshekara Police Division underscored the importance of the operation.

He explained that officers on enforcement duty intercepted a vehicle without a registration plate on July 9, 2026, but the driver allegedly attempted to evade arrest before he was apprehended.

A subsequent search of the suspect and the vehicle led to the recovery of a pistol, cannabis sativa, a knife, electric wires, 120 lithium batteries and a vehicle suspected to have been stolen.

The police commissioner said the suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

“These recoveries validate the reason we launched Operation Clean Plate. Vehicles without proper identification are being used to move suspicious individuals, prohibited firearms, narcotics and other dangerous items across the state,” Bakori said.

He noted that investigators were working to determine the origin of the recovered firearm and other exhibits, as well as establish whether they were connected to a wider criminal network.

Bakori assured residents that the operation would continue across the 44 local government areas of Kano State to strengthen security and prevent criminals from exploiting loopholes.

“Operation Clean Plate will not stop. It will be sustained and intensified across the local government areas of Kano State,” he said.

The commissioner urged vehicle owners to properly register their vehicles, obtain standard number plates and remove any coverings or obstructions that could hinder identification.

He also appealed to residents to support security agencies by providing credible and timely information capable of preventing crime.

Bakori warned police officers against misconduct during the operation, stressing that professionalism and discipline remained non-negotiable.

“Any act of unprofessional conduct by our personnel should be reported. Discipline and brutality remain non-negotiable,” he said.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property while sustaining efforts to improve security across Kano State.