Residents of Bajallabe, around the FCE Gate 1 axis in Kano metropolis, have reportedly rejected an alleged ₦10 million bribe offered to them to conceal a vehicle suspected of carrying illicit substances.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, August 25, 2026, after residents became suspicious of a Golf car parked near a residential building with a motorcycle. The vehicle was allegedly loaded with substances suspected to be illicit drugs.
According to the Kano State Multi-Agency Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Substances, residents approached the driver to find out what was inside the vehicle.
The driver allegedly offered ₦10 million to community representatives and vigilante personnel at the scene in an attempt to persuade them to ignore the discovery.
However, the residents and vigilantes reportedly rejected the offer and insisted that law enforcement authorities be called to investigate.
The chairman of the local vigilante group subsequently contacted the task force and reported the incident. He also alerted officers at the Rijiyar Zaki Police Division as tensions reportedly began rising at the scene.
Police officers later arrived, took custody of the suspected vehicle and the individuals involved, and transferred them to the Rijiyar Zaki Police Division for further investigation.
Operatives of the multi-agency task force also joined the authorities at the scene.
The task force, however, stressed that the substances recovered from the vehicle have not yet been conclusively confirmed as illicit drugs. Their exact nature will be established through further investigation and, where necessary, laboratory examination.
Commending the residents and vigilantes, task force chairman Muhyi Magaji Rimin Gado described their decision to reject the alleged bribe and involve the authorities as an example of courage, vigilance and civic responsibility.
He also praised the community for choosing to report the matter rather than confronting the suspects or taking the law into their own hands.
The task force further disclosed that the property where the suspected substances were discovered would be sealed in accordance with an Executive Order recently signed by Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, with other necessary measures to follow.
The agency urged residents across Kano State to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities involving the trafficking, storage, distribution or sale of illicit drugs and other prohibited substances.