BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested a 45-year-old man suspected of drug trafficking after recovering 15,000 tablets of Pregabalin allegedly found in his possession.

The arrest, according to the police, followed intelligence reports about the movement of a large consignment of illicit drugs within the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Katsina, identifying the suspect as Junaidu Rabi’u.

Sadiq-Aliyu said operatives attached to the Central Market Division arrested Rabi’u on October 17 at about 6:30 p.m., barely an hour after receiving information about a man allegedly transporting a substantial quantity of prohibited drugs.

He explained that the division received the intelligence report at approximately 5:30 p.m., prompting officers to launch an operation that eventually led to the suspect's arrest.

A search conducted on him reportedly uncovered 15,000 Pregabalin tablets packed in 1,000 sachets, which were subsequently recovered by the police as exhibits.

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During preliminary interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to his involvement in the operation, claiming that the consignment belonged to one Nafi’u, who reportedly contracted him to receive and transport the drugs.

However, the alleged accomplice has since gone into hiding, with the police saying efforts are underway to locate and apprehend him.

The command added that Rabi’u would be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction after the conclusion of investigations.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar-Fage, commended the officers involved in the operation for their swift response, describing their action as part of the command's ongoing efforts to tackle drug-related offences and other criminal activities across Katsina State.

The commissioner also acknowledged the role of residents in supporting security operations through the provision of credible intelligence, urging members of the public to continue sharing useful information with security agencies to help prevent crime and strengthen public safety.