The Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking has arrested a 27-year-old man, Ishaq Lawan Ibrahim, popularly known as Malam Keya, over alleged sponsorship of violent gang clashes in Dala Local Government Area.
The suspect, a resident of Yelwa in Dala, was arrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following an intelligence-led operation. He has been returned to Kano for investigation and possible prosecution.
The task force accused him of financing and coordinating gang violence that reportedly claimed lives and left residents living in fear.
According to a statement by the task force, the suspect fled Kano after security operations intensified in communities affected by gang clashes, including Jakara, Madigawa, Yalwa, Sanka, Kul Kul, Dogon Nama, Kuka Bulukiya, Dala, Shatsari and Dandalin Turawa.
The statement said operatives tracked him to Port Harcourt and arrested him in an operation led by the Head of Operations, CSP Bashir Gwadabe.
Confirming the arrest, the task force chairman, Muhuyi Magaji Rimin Gado, warned individuals allegedly financing violence that they would be pursued regardless of their location.
“Let me assure you that those who bankroll violence should know that no distance, and no hiding place, will protect them,” he said.
“This arrest is only the beginning. We will not rest until peace is fully restored,” Rimin Gado added.
The task force said the suspect remained in custody and would face prosecution after investigations were concluded, stressing that the process would follow the law.
It also urged residents, community and religious leaders, parents and youths to support security agencies by reporting suspicious activities and preventing young people from being recruited into criminal gangs.
“The safety of Kano is a shared responsibility, and together we will reclaim our streets and secure the future of our state,” the statement said.
The task force acknowledged the support of the Kano and Rivers State Police Commands and other law enforcement agencies in the operation.