The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has challenged officers of the Kano State Command to remain resilient and bold enough to take the battle straight to criminals. The IGP delivered this strong message of courage on Wednesday during a lecture titled 'Asymmetric Threat Preemption, Urban Gang Management, and Securing Commercial Hubs' in Kano.
Speaking through Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Finance and Administration, Force Headquarters, DIG Sulaiman M. Abdul, the IGP urged the command to be determined and stay on the offensive against enemies rather than merely reacting. DIG Abdul, who also serves as the Supervising DIG for the North-West Zone, commended the command for recording major successes through arrests and neutralization of bandit attacks. He tasked the command to stay alert and focused to maintain the fight against criminal elements.
According to DIG Abdul, inspired by the dedication of officers of the Kano Command, the IGP has established six core administrative pillars that form the foundation of a modern internal security blueprint. These pillars include intelligence-led and technology-driven policing, which shifts from conventional reactive methods to proactive, evidence-based law enforcement powered by data analytics, digital forensics, and centralized information frameworks such as the Nigeria Police Force Crime and Incident Database (NPF-ICD).
In the IGP's message: 'I am proud of your outstanding performance this week! You have taken the battle straight to the criminals with bold actions, recording major successes through arrests and the neutralization of bandits and their kingpins. The people are noticing our courage. Well done! It is far better to strike first and stay on the offensive than to remain only reactive. When bandits know we fire back decisively, they will think twice. Keep pushing hard, stay sharp, and sustain this momentum.'
The IGP also reminded the command to strictly adhere to accountability and human rights compliance, which guarantees implementation of a zero-tolerance policy for professional misconduct, extra-judicial actions, corruption, and impunity. He emphasized re-engineering internal oversight mechanisms like the Police Complaints Response Unit (CRU) and enforcing the standard that authority must be exercised with restraint and constitutional respect.
DIG Abdul described the third pillar as community policing and public trust, which revitalizes public partnerships by institutionalizing town engagements and making command leadership accessible to earn actionable community intelligence necessary to preempt crime. The fourth pillar is inter-agency collaboration and regional synergy, designed to dismantle institutional silos and achieve seamless, real-time intelligence sharing with the Military, DSS, and sister agencies. This pillar also includes breaking administrative boundaries through operational frameworks like 'Handshake Patrols' between contiguous states to deny criminals jurisdictional escape routes.
The fifth pillar is operational standardization and specialization, aimed at restructuring elite capacities into units governed by strict rules of engagement and civilian oversight, notably evidenced by the remodeling of state-level anti-crime units into the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU). The sixth pillar is personnel welfare and capacity building, which modernizes training curricula and prioritizes systemic officer welfare (housing, health, and mental health support) to directly drive field performance.
DIG Abdul noted that Kano's security and stability directly impact the economic heartbeat of the entire West African sub-region. He reminded the officers of Kano Police Command: 'Your primary mandate is to neutralize urban criminal syndicates – specifically violent youth gangs (Yan Daba), prevent cyber-enabled financial fraud, and ensure that transnational or insurgent criminal elements do not exploit the state's sprawling commercial networks as a logistical or hiding base.'
According to him, the IGP's administration policy thrust dictates that modern urban policing cannot be achieved through physical presence alone; it must be powered by timely, accurate, and actionable information. The Kano Command must fully leverage data analytics, digital forensics, and centralized information frameworks to map out urban crime hotspots and track illicit financial flows that sustain gang activities.
In his welcome address, Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, expressed gratitude to IGP Disu for providing everything the command needs to operate without hitches. Mr. Bakori noted that since January 1, 2026, as a result of sustained campaigns against violent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, thuggery (Daba), drug abuse, motor vehicle theft, and other vices, the command has recorded significant successes. A total of 1,357 suspects have been arrested and prosecuted for these major crimes. This achievement reflects the dedication and professionalism of the officers under this command.
He further stated that to mitigate these crimes, the command has intensified joint border operations, sustained stakeholder engagements including town hall meetings in affected local government areas, and periodic clearance operations at black spots and criminal hideouts.
