Operation Clean Plate nets 123, recovers gun in Kano

The Kano State Police Command has arrested 123 motorists for allegedly using vehicles without registration plates or with concealed number plates in a statewide operation aimed at tackling crime.

The operation, codenamed Operation Clean Plate, also led to the arrest of a 51-year-old suspect found with a pistol, suspected cannabis, a knife, electric cables, 120 lithium batteries and a vehicle believed to be stolen.

Speaking at the command headquarters in Bompai on Monday, Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Adamu Bakori said criminals often exploit unregistered or concealed vehicles to evade security checks and conceal their identities.

He said all motorists arrested during the exercise had been charged to court, adding that the operation was part of broader efforts to improve public safety across Kano State.

Bakori disclosed that the 51-year-old suspect was intercepted by officers attached to the Panshekara Police Division on July 9 after attempting to flee during a routine stop. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the recovery of the exhibits.

The police commissioner said the suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, where detectives are investigating the origin of the firearm and whether the recovered items are connected to a wider criminal network.

He assured residents that the operation would continue across all 44 local government areas of the state to prevent criminals from exploiting vehicles without proper identification.

Bakori urged motorists to register their vehicles, display valid number plates and avoid any form of obstruction that could conceal vehicle identification.

He also encouraged residents to provide useful information to security agencies and warned officers against unprofessional conduct, stressing that the command would not tolerate misconduct during the enforcement exercise.