The Kano State Police Command has revealed that it successfully foiled a planned terrorist attack during the Tijjaniya Maulud celebration, after recovering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the event venue. The State Police Commissioner, Salman Dogo Garba, confirmed the recovery of the explosives while speaking to reporters at the Command Headquarters.
Garba disclosed that the mastermind behind the planned attack was a man from Chad, who had recently been involved in the killings of eight individuals in his home country. According to the Commissioner, intelligence reports led the police to the celebration grounds, where they tracked the suspect. However, the suspect managed to escape to Cameroon after receiving a tip-off about the police’s presence.
Despite the escape, the police were able to apprehend an individual in Kano who had sheltered the suspect and provided valuable information regarding his whereabouts. The intelligence gathered from this source led to the recovery of significant quantities of explosives and other weapons from the home of the primary suspect, who had already fled to Cameroon.
“We received credible intelligence and worked through the night, ensuring that the program was conducted peacefully without incident,” Garba said. He emphasized his personal and generational connection to the Tijjaniya sect, stating that his involvement in the operation was purely in the interest of public safety and not influenced by any political considerations.
Garba expressed relief over the successful intervention, stating that despite the dangerous nature of the threat, the timely actions of the police had prevented a potential catastrophe.