From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Kano State Police Commissioner Samaila Shiabu Dikko acknowledged on Thursday that security agencies in the state were in receipt of intelligence of a plot by bandits to invade Kano State using tricycles.
The commissioner spoke during an interview with reporters while parading some suspects and their exhibits at the Bompai Police headquarters of the Command.
According to him,” We have intelligence and we have succeeded in arresting some suspected bandits and we have made a lot of recovery of explosives”.
“Based on that, we had additional intelligence that these bandits are aiming at Kano and they are going to capitalize on using these tricycles to make sure they achieve their aims since vehicles are now undergoing thorough search in the state,” he said while shedding light on the ban on tricycles operation beyond 10:00 pm
Dikko added that the police were very much prepared to strictly implement the new policy while warning commercial tricycle operators in the state to abide by the new directive.
“The union of the tricycles has been informed and the security agencies, we are united and we are very much ready to enforce the policy banning tricycles from operating from 10 pm,” he stated.
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He held that security personnel would give special consideration to tricycles conveying sick people to the hospitals or conveying emergency cases after 10.00 pm.
“If we understand that it is an emergency, we are even going to give the operator a helping hand to make sure that the person is conveyed to the destination,” he stated.
It would be recalled that the Kano State Government had earlier announced the new policy barring commercial motorcycles from operating beyond 10 pm.
A statement signed by Mohammed Garba, said the tricycle policy, which takes effect from Thursday night, was arrived at the state security council meeting as part of measures to strengthen the security of the state.
He charged the operators to comply with the directive, failure of which would lead to their arrest.