… Urges Officers To Sustain Operation Puff Adder, Community Policing
From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
His stewardship in Kano state Police Command for about a year and three months, brought appreciable changes, innovations and modern crime fighting techniques that drastically lowered the wave of crime in Nigeria’s most populous state—Kano.
Apart from effective application of Community Policing Strategy, the outgoing Kano state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Habu A. Sani, now Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, used technolgy-driven crime-bursting style to maintain peace and order in Kano, while his regime lasted.
However, his last harvest of criminals and clearance of criminal activities in the ancient commercial city and its environs saw the arrest of suspected notorious armed robbers, drug dealers, car snatchers, and many others who engaged in sundry criminal activities.
Giving account of the Command’s activities within the last three weeks, on behalf of AIG Habu, the Command’s Image-maker, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, said on the 29 January, 2021, unknown gunmen went to Gidan Diraman Village, Kwanar Dangora, Bebeji Local Government Area, Kano State and killed a Vigilante, one Ibrahim Shuaib, of same address and took away two unregistered Boxer Motorcycles, two handsets and unspecified amount of money.
He added that, “on receipt of this complaint, the outgoing Commissioner of Police Kano State Command, AIG Habu A. Sani, psc 7 (Kalamu-Waheed) raised and instructed a team of Operation Puff Adder led by DSP Shehu Dahiru to arrest the culprits.
The team immediately swung in to action and on to the 4 February 20j21, sip0 days after the incident, arrested one Abdulganiyu Gambo, Alias ‘’Black’’, 25 years, of Kariya Village, Kiru LGA, Kano and Mohammed Sani, 28 years old, of Hayin Gwarmai, Bebeji LGA, Kano.
On investigation, the suspects confessed to conspire with four others, killed the vigilante and took away the above listed properties. Investigation is in progress to arrest other members of the syndicates.”
Furthermore, on the 24 January, 2021, a report was received that some hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons, broke in to the house of one Alhaji Hassan Badamasi, 47 years, of Wurro Bagga, Badawa Quarters Kano, robbed him some unspecified amount of money and infli1q1cted injuries on his two children.
Team of Operation Puff Adder led by CSP Yunusa A. Danzomo, Divisional Police Officer Badawa immediately rushed to the scene. Upon alarm raised, neighbors surrounded the house. The team arrested one Otodo Otache, 48 years, of Otikpo LGA Benue State and Kabiru Muhammed, 39 years, of Tudun Wada Zaria, Kaduna State.
Others escaped with inflicted injuries by mob. Two locally made Revolver Rifles, seven Cartridges, Two (2) Dangerous Knives, and two Mobile Phones were recovered. The Command’s outgoing Commissioner of Police AIG Habu A. Sani, ordered that the case be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Command for Discreet Investigations.
Moreso, on the 24 January, 2021, a complaint was received that on the 17 January, the 2021, a Golf 3 Volkswagen Motor Vehicle, red in colour belonging to Nassarawa Local Government Area Kano that was taken to garage for repairs was stolen. On receipt of the complaint, the Outgoing Commissioner of Police Kano State Police Command AIG Habu A. Sani, psc* raised and instructed a team of Operation Puff-Adder led by CSP Alabi to arrest the culprits. The team immediately swung in to action and arrested one Hafizu Adam ‘m’ 19 years old Brigade Quarters Kano. During the course of investigation, the suspect confessed to have stole the Golf Motor Vehicle from where parked at Mechanical Garage, cut it in to pieces and sold to one Mas’ud Musa of ‘Yankaba Quarters Kano and Amadu M. of Rimin Kebbe Quarters Kano. All the two suspects confessed buying parts of the Golf Motor Vehicle, and the parts were recovered from them. Investigation is in progress to arrest the other accomplices and possible recovery of other stolen Vehicles.
He further hinted that on the 25 December, 2020, a complaint was lodged by one Mohd Auwal that on the same day, he parked his CRV Motor Vehicle at Isyaka Rabiu Mosque to attend Jumaat Prayer.
After performing his prayer and went back to take his motor vehicle from where it was parked, he found that it was stolen. On receipt of the complaint, the Command’s outgoing Commissioner of Police, AIG Habu A. Sani, ordered a team of Operation Puff-Adder led by CSP Mansur A. Idris, Divisional Police Officer Dala to arrest the culprits.
The team immediately swung into action and arrested one Isa Shehu, aged 35 years of Kurna Quarters, Kano in possession of the motor Vehicle. During the course of investigation, the suspect confessed to the crime, mentioned his accomplices and also stated that they operate within Kano, Jigawa and Kaduna. He also confessed to have stolen two other Motor Vehicles. The case is under investigation.
On the 19 January, 2021, a team of Operation Puff Adder led CSP Alabi Lateef, while on intelligence-led patrol along Zaria Road Kano arrested one Hauwa Mustapha, 47 years old, of Naibawa Quarters, Kano and one Auwalu Ibrahim, 28 years, of Brigade Quarters Kano, while driving a Motor Vehicle Honda Accord, ash in colour, moving in a suspicious manner.
On spot search, breaking implements were found concealed inside the vehicle. The suspects confessed to have conspired with two others now at large, broke a stationary parked vehicle along Mariri Quarters Kano and stole eight cartons of Swan Bottle Water. All the suspects confessed committing the crime and also confessed to be ex convicts. Investigation is in progress.
DSP Abdullahi Haruna stated that on the 30 January, 2021 a team of Operation Puff Adder led by SP Bashir Tijjani, Divisional Police Officer Karaye, while in an intelligence-led patrol at Karaye LGA Kano arrested one Rufa’i Musa, 25 years old, of Karaye LGA Kano in a Golf 3 Wagon Motor Vehicle. On Investigation, the suspect confessed to have stolen the vehicle from Karaye, and the owner was identified.
The suspect further confessed to have stolen other Golf 3 Saloon Motor Vehicle and Toyota Cricket Motor vehicle and sold them out at Kaduna. Investigation is in progress to arrest his accomplices and recover more motor vehicles.
Also, on the 4 February, 2021 at about, a team of Operation Puff Adder led by CSP Umar Kabir Farouk, Divisional Police Officer, Gezawa while on intelligence-led patrol along Zainawa Village, Gezawa LGA, Kano sighted a J5 Motor Vehicle off-loading some suspicious items. On sighting the Police, the driver immediately zoomed off with the Motor Vehicle and left. On spot search, 47 Bags and 145 Parcels of Dried Leaves Suspected to be Indian Hemp were recovered. Investigation is in progress to arrest the fleeing suspects.
However, during his frequent meetings with Senior Police Officers of the Command, the outgoing CP Kano, AIG Habu A. Sani, charged senior Police officers of the command to sustain Operation Puff Adder and Community Policing engagements, which he said were part of the vital tools he used to bring down the wave of crime and criminal activities in Kano.
Indeed, patriotic residents of Kano will always remember AIG Habu A. Sani for his simple, but sophisticated style of crime-bursting which earned him avalanche of commendations and awards by different groups in the ancient commercial city, including the Award of Excellence on Community Policing bestowed on him by Kano State Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
