The Kano State Police Command has arrested two more suspects over the violent attack at the popular Farm Centre GSM Market in Kano, as investigators revealed that some of the attackers were allegedly recruited and paid to carry out the operation.
The latest arrests bring the total number of suspects detained in connection with the April 28, 2026 incident to seven, all of whom were arraigned before Magistrate Court No. 2 sitting in Nomansland, Kano, on Tuesday.
According to the police, the newly arrested suspects are 18-year-old Sadiq Ayuba of Darmanawa Quarters and 38-year-old Abdulganiyu Abba of Mariri Quarters.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, investigators said Sadiq Ayuba confessed during interrogation that he and several others were allegedly mobilized and paid by a man identified as “Mallam Hassan,” who is currently on the run, to attack the Farm Centre GSM Market and the convoy of prominent Kano politician AA Zaura.
The attack reportedly caused panic and destruction within the busy phone market, with several businesses and properties vandalized. Police said a Toyota ambulance vehicle belonging to Zaura’s entourage and a commercial tricycle owned by one Shamsuddeen Sani were also damaged during the violence.
The suspects are facing charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbance, unlawful assembly, possession of dangerous weapons, and mischief.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Kano State, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, vowed that the command would continue its crackdown on violent gangs and individuals sponsoring unrest in the state.
He disclosed that security operatives have intensified efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspect, Mallam Hassan, believed to be a key figure behind the attack.
The police commissioner also commended residents for supplying useful intelligence that aided the arrests and urged members of the public to continue cooperating with security agencies to maintain peace in Kano.
Farm Centre GSM Market is regarded as one of the largest mobile phone trading hubs in northern Nigeria, attracting thousands of traders and customers daily. The attack had sparked concerns among business owners and residents over rising cases of thuggery and politically-linked violence in the state.
