The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 288 suspected political thugs during the State Assembly re-run and by-elections conducted in Ghari/Tsanyawa and Bagwai/Shanono constituencies.
The arrests were made on Saturday, 16th August 2025, as part of clearance operations coordinated by the Kano State Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
According to the Command, the suspects were picked up at various locations for engaging in electoral offenses designed to disrupt the voting process.
Weapons recovered from the suspects included a pump-action rifle, four locally made guns, and a cache of dangerous items. These comprised bows and arrows, cutlasses, knives, stones, catapults, clubs, and other offensive weapons.
Police authorities said the recovery of such weapons indicated a coordinated plan by criminal elements to instigate violence and compromise the elections.
All the suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to identify their sponsors and collaborators.
The Police Command assured residents that anyone found guilty of sponsoring or participating in electoral violence would face prosecution in accordance with the law.
Speaking on the development, Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, expressed concern over what he described as the rising spate of violent thuggery and election malpractice in parts of the state.
He warned that the police, working in collaboration with other security agencies, would not condone any act of violence, manipulation, or intimidation during the electoral exercise.
CP Bakori reiterated the commitment of the Command to ensuring that the elections are peaceful, credible, and devoid of any form of criminality.
The police boss called on members of the public to remain law-abiding and to give maximum cooperation to security operatives deployed across polling units and collation centres.
He urged residents to report any suspicious movement or attempt to disrupt the peace to the police for immediate action.
To that effect, the Command provided emergency hotlines for public use, including 08032419754, 08123821575, and 09029292926.
The Kano State Police Command also commended the cooperation it has received so far from residents and appealed for continued vigilance until the electoral process is concluded.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Command stressed that security agencies remain neutral, professional, and committed to protecting lives, property, and the integrity of the electoral process in Kano State.
