SOKOTO POLICE ARREST ‘SAI MALLAM’ CULT LEADER, NABBED SUSPECTED SERIAL RAPIST LINKED TO ABUSE OF 28 GIRLS
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The Sokoto State Police Command has arrested the alleged leader of the notorious ‘Sai Mallam’ cult group and a suspected serial rapist accused of sexually abusing dozens of young girls across the state.
Briefing journalists on Friday, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Musa, said the arrests were part of sustained security operations aimed at restoring peace and dismantling organised criminal networks terrorising communities in Sokoto State.
According to the police boss, the ‘Sai Mallam’ group had, in recent months, instilled fear in several parts of the state through alleged fraud, intimidation and fetish practices.
Musa recalled that the command had earlier announced the arrest of three members of the cult on November 29, 2025, after which operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit intensified a manhunt for the remaining members, particularly the group’s leadership.
Acting on credible intelligence, police operatives arrested the group’s alleged leader and chief priest, Mohamed Mokhtar, popularly known as ‘Sai Mallam’. A search of his residence, said to also serve as a shrine, led to the recovery of fetish materials, banners bearing the group’s name and other items allegedly used to hypnotise victims.
Describing the arrest as a major breakthrough, the commissioner said investigations were ongoing to dismantle the group completely. He expressed concern over the involvement of youths aged between 19 and 30 years in the cult, warning that the trend posed a serious threat to society.
“These are the most productive years of their lives, yet they are being drawn into deception, fraud and fetish activities in the pursuit of quick money,” Musa said, urging parents to monitor their children and their associations more closely.
In a separate development, the police also confirmed the arrest of a suspected serial rapist, Annas Sani, from the Gidan Igwai area of Sokoto, over allegations of conspiracy, abduction, impersonation and rape.
The suspect was arrested on December 9, 2025, following a complaint involving the abduction and sexual assault of two teenage girls aged 17 and 18. Further investigations, according to the police, uncovered a wider pattern of abuse.
During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to committing the crimes with the assistance of three accomplices—Mohammed, Adam Nura, also known as Willy, and Mubarak Yusuf—who are currently at large.
Investigators revealed that the gang operated under the guise of an organisation known as the Sokoto State Masterpiece Brigade, using it to lure unsuspecting girls to an office near Gidan Igwai, where they were intimidated and sexually abused.
At least 28 victims have so far been identified, with the police noting that several of the affected girls were traumatised and had fled their homes out of fear.
Items recovered during the operation included a camouflage-style uniform allegedly used to intimidate victims and an identification card bearing the suspect’s name.
The police assured residents that efforts were ongoing to arrest the remaining suspects and called on members of the public to provide useful information. The command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and safeguarding communities across Sokoto State.
Meanwhile, speaking during an interview, the arrested ‘Sai Mallam’ leader, Mohamed Mokhtar, denied any involvement in cult activities, claiming he was merely a spiritualist rendering services to people in the state.
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