The Kano State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a vehicle theft syndicate and recovered four allegedly stolen tricycles as well as a Pontiac vehicle in separate intelligence-led operations.
The arrests followed investigations and collaboration between security formations across state boundaries.
The first incident was reported on August 4 after a tricycle operator, Abubakar Ali, reported that his vehicle had been stolen along Hadejia Road.
Police said the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Muhammad Sani, allegedly posed as an injured passenger before asking the rider to stop at a supermarket. The suspect reportedly used another key to start the tricycle and drove away while the owner was away.
Following an alert to neighbouring police divisions, Sani was arrested by a patrol team from the Bichi Police Division.
Further investigation reportedly led detectives to Katsina State, where another alleged member of the syndicate, 33-year-old Aminu Saad, was arrested. Four suspected stolen tricycles were recovered from him.
The police said the tricycles were allegedly stolen using a similar method and that Saad confessed to being a member of the syndicate. The recovered tricycles have since been returned to their owners.
In a separate operation, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad arrested 23-year-old Isah Yusuf on July 25 after he was allegedly found with a maroon Pontiac without a registration number.
Police said further investigation revealed that the vehicle had been stolen from Taraba State, taken to Niger Republic and later brought back into Nigeria after being sold.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, commended the officers for the arrests and recoveries, describing the operations as evidence of the importance of intelligence-led policing and cooperation between security formations.
