Sokoto police smash Sai Malam cult, uncovering a WhatsApp recruitment channel and arresting key suspects in a targeted sting operation.

Commissioner of Police Ahmed Musa announced on Saturday that the Sokoto State Police Command had dismantled the suspected Sai Malam cult, arresting three alleged members including the purported coordinator, Usman Shu’aibu, after officers uncovered a WhatsApp-based recruitment channel used to lure young people into the group.

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Police spokesperson Ahmed Rufai said the arrests were made late Friday during a sting operation led by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit following what he described as credible intelligence linking the group to coordinated online indoctrination.

Rufai said investigators discovered that the network had been expanding quietly across parts of the state through a WhatsApp group known as Red Chamber, which officers believe was deliberately designed to initiate and influence unsuspecting youths.

The suspects, according to Rufai, admitted they had been recruited through the platform.

Announcing the breakthrough, Musa said the operation responded directly to rising public concern about covert cult activity.

He noted that the arrests demonstrated the command’s determination to dismantle criminal structures wherever they operate, adding that the safety of residents remained the force’s central mission.

Rufai cautioned that criminal groups are increasingly exploiting digital platforms to manipulate young people, urging parents to watch for unusual online behaviour.

He described the discovery of the Red Chamber channel as evidence of how social media can be twisted into a dangerous tool.

The command confirmed that a manhunt is underway for additional members of the network who fled during the raid.

Musa said further arrests are expected as investigators continue to trace digital footprints linked to the group.

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Police officers described the operation as a significant and powerful step in curbing youth exploitation in the state.