The Kano State Police Command has recovered 160 suspected stolen solar inverters valued at N59.2m during an operation in the state.
The command’s spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed this on Saturday. He said detectives from the Sharada Police Division made the recovery after acting on credible intelligence.
Kiyawa said the operation followed information received on July 29 that a suspect was allegedly offering large quantities of solar inverters for sale at unusually low prices.
He identified the suspect as 43-year-old Abdullahi Isah, adding that detectives arrested him before searching an uncompleted building at Haye Quarters along the Western Bypass in Kano.
During the search, police recovered 160 units of 6.5KW/48V solar inverters suspected to have been stolen.
“The exhibits are reasonably suspected to have been stolen. Investigation is ongoing to identify their source and other possible accomplices,” the statement read.
The police appealed to members of the public who own, or may have lost, solar inverters matching the description to report to the Sharada Police Division for identification and possible recovery.
In a separate operation, operatives of the Special Intervention Squad arrested three suspects over the theft of six fuel dispensing machines valued at N10.2 million from Jajire Filling Station in Aku Village, Gaya Local Government Area.
According to the police, armed robbers attacked the filling station in the early hours of July 25, overpowered the security guards, tied them up, locked them inside a security room and carted away the machines.
Kiyawa said investigations led to the arrest of the suspects, who allegedly confessed to buying the stolen machines from one Usman Ibrahim of Kaduna State, who remains at large.
He added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and recover the stolen dispensing machines.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, said the command would sustain its offensive against criminal networks across the state.
He also urged residents to avoid buying goods sold at suspiciously low prices and to promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
(The Whistler)