Iliyasu Abdullahi Bah
The Zamfara State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against banditry with the arrest of a notorious bandit leader, Muhammadu Dan Kani, popularly known as “Akki” or “Dankani,” and the interception of several arms shipments bound for criminal gangs terrorizing the state.
Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Balarabe Maikaba, announced the development on Tuesday during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Gusau, describing the successes as evidence of the Command’s renewed resolve against organized criminal networks.
According to Maikaba, the 57-year-old Dankani, a native of Kuraje in Bungudu Local Government Area, was captured in Funtua, Katsina State, following a meticulously planned operation based on credible intelligence linking him to multiple kidnapping incidents across Zamfara.
“The suspect was arrested with a significant cache of weapons,” the Commissioner revealed. “Our operatives recovered 11 fabricated firearms, 25 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, and six live cartridges.”
He added that investigations were ongoing to trace the origin of the weapons and to arrest other members of Dankani’s criminal syndicate.
In a related operation, the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit intercepted a Toyota Corolla during a patrol and uncovered a sophisticated arms consignment concealed in a sack of oranges. Items recovered included four AK-47 rifles, 200 rounds of PKT machine-gun ammunition, 28 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, and four empty AK-47 magazines.
The driver, Nasuru Dawan Jiya, was arrested and confessed to transporting the weapons to bandits in Gurusu Village. The Commissioner confirmed that efforts are ongoing to apprehend Jiya’s accomplices and dismantle the supply chain.
The CP also disclosed another success on September 19, 2025, when police operatives on intensive patrol along the Gusau–Sokoto Highway near Gada Biyu intercepted two suspects on motorcycles. A search led to the recovery of 18 fabricated firearms, with investigations currently handled by the State Intelligence Criminal Department (SICD) in Gusau.
Maikaba stressed that the recent operations represent the Command’s aggressive new posture against insecurity.
“These successive breakthroughs reflect the transformation and renewed determination of the Zamfara Police Command under my leadership,” he said.
The developments mark one of the strongest offensives yet against the networks fueling banditry in Zamfara, a state that has long been a flashpoint of violent criminal activity in Nigeria’s northwest.
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