The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd) on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, commissioned 62 operational vehicles, 320 motorcycles and other high-tech security equipment valued at ₦27.6 billion, procured by the Sokoto State government to strengthen the fight against insecurity and consolidate peace across the state.
The security assets include operational vehicles, Buffalo Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), bullet-resistant vehicles, motorcycles, bulletproof helmets and vests, night-vision devices, thermal imaging equipment, security kits and other advanced tools designed to enhance intelligence gathering, improve operational mobility and strengthen the capacity of security agencies to combat banditry, terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony held at Giginya Memorial Stadium, Sokoto, Governor Ahmed Aliyu said the state’s proximity to Zamfara and Katsina states, as well as the Republic of Niger, has exposed parts of Sokoto, particularly communities in the eastern corridor, to persistent security threats.
He said this informed his administration’s decision to accord the security sector top priority immediately after assuming office by providing all necessary support to security agencies to effectively tackle banditry and other criminal activities.
Governor Aliyu recalled that upon assuming office, his administration procured and distributed more than 200 patrol vehicles and over 250 motorcycles to security agencies across the state.
He added that the government also restored and increased monthly allowances for security personnel serving in frontline communities and established the Sokoto State Community Guard Corps, which has been equipped with 40 Hilux operational vehicles and 700 motorcycles.
He further stated that his administration constructed military barracks in Illela and a Mobile Police Barrack in Tangaza Local Council, operationalised the Nigerian Air Force Base in Sokoto, enhanced the communication and surveillance capabilities of the Department of State Services (DSS), and provided housing units for security personnel as part of efforts to improve welfare and operational efficiency.
The governor also disclosed that the state government supplied operational vehicles to the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Air Force; donated motorcycles to the DSS, procured Buffalo Armoured Personnel Carriers and BMW R1250 GS Adventure motorcycles, and facilitated the establishment of additional Forward Operating Bases in Kagara, Sabon Birni and Isa local councils to strengthen rapid response to security threats.
According to Aliyu, the latest intervention includes additional Buffalo APCs, upgraded armoured vehicles, motorcycles, thousands of security kits, bulletproof helmets and vests, night-vision devices, thermal imaging equipment and other modern security gadgets, which will be strategically deployed to identified flashpoints across the state.
