Sokoto State Police Command has warned youths against joining a newly identified terror-related cult group known as Sai Malam, citing its growing threat to public safety across parts of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Musa, issued the warning on Friday while briefing journalists at the command’s headquarters in Sokoto, noting that the activities of the group had generated fear and concern among residents in several communities.
Musa said the briefing was part of efforts to update the public on ongoing police operations aimed at restoring peace and dismantling criminal networks operating in the state.
According to him, operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested Mohammed Mukhtar, identified as the leader and chief priest of the Sai Malam group.
“A search conducted at his residence, which also served as a shrine, led to the recovery of a live python, banners bearing the inscription ‘Sai Malam,’ as well as various fetish materials and charms,” the commissioner said.
He described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the effort to dismantle the group and assured residents of the command’s commitment to neutralising criminal elements threatening peace in the state.
Musa further urged parents and guardians to closely monitor the activities of their children, especially youths, and appealed to the public to continue providing credible information to security agencies.
He added that the briefing also formed part of precautionary security measures ahead of and after the Christmas season, assuring residents that the police would continue to protect lives and property across the state.
