•Assures Nigerians of improved security in 2021
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has disclosed that a total of 21,296 suspects, involved in various crimes, were arrested, while 3,347 firearms, 133,496 ammunition and 960 stolen vehicles were recovered by the police in 2020.
Also, 1,002 kidnap victims were safely rescued from their abductors and reunited with their families.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Force Police Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba on Monday, January 11, 2021.
Adamu spoke on the arrests and recoveries while reviewing the scorecard of police operations at the Force Criminal Intelligence (FCID) and Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB).
Assuring Nigerians of improved security in the new year, the IGP stressed that the Force would not relent in its efforts to fight against all forms of crime, especially kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, cultism, cybercrime, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), among others.
The chief police boss said that the NPF would implement aggressive, proactive, intelligence-driven and community-based crime fighting strategies in its quests to make the country safer. He also promised that the Force would take the battle to the door steps of criminals, with the expansion of its collaboration with the citizens and other law enforcement agencies, in its bid to flush out criminal elements in the country.
Meanwhile, in a renewed commitment by the Force to advance the gains recorded in the fight against crimes in the country, particularly in 2020, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force arrested 18 criminal suspects for offences of armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other violent crimes.
Recovered from the suspects were Eight AK47 rifles, one SMG sterling gun, 236 AK47 ammunition, 12 pieces of SMG sterling gun ammunition and two Toyota Camry Saloon cars (already released to the owners).
The cars were snatched from one Mr. Osayuwamen Isokpan and Mr Harrison Eribo on June 26, 2020 and July 5, 2020 in Benin, Edo State, the FPRO further stated.
CP Mba wrote in the statement that among the suspects was one Abubakar Umaru a.k.a Buba Bargu (35), native of Kato Shiroro area of Niger State, who was nabbed by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS).
Investigations had revealed that Umaru was a member and armourer of a gang that had carried out several kidnap-for-ransom operations along Lokoja-Abuja/Abuja-Kaduna highways, and other major highways in the North-Central states.
“Interestingly, this group carried out the abduction of one Mohammed Ahmadu a.k.a CONFIRM ‘m’, 30 years, also a kidnap kingpin and leader of another notorious kidnapping group in the North-Central, when he came to their hideout in the forest to sell live ammunition to the group. “He was held and shot in the hand until his gang members paid a ransom of N1,555,000 million for his release,” Mba said.
Five AK47 rifles, five magazines and 120 rounds of AK47 ammunition were recovered from Abubakar Umaru at his hideout in the forest, it was learnt.
Also, police operatives arrested five members of an armed robbery syndicate who had their criminal network and base spread across Edo, Delta, Ondo and Lagos States. The suspects were identified as Godspower Ebogie, Samede Miracle, Efosa Rowland a.k.a Double, Michael Ifeanyi Egwuatu and Ifeanyi Ewurum a.k.a Rati.
They were arrested at various locations and linked to several cases of armed robbery and car-snatching at gunpoint, and under investigations by the Police.
The IGP commended the police teams for their dedication to duties, which, he said, resulted in the successes recorded. Adamu also appreciated Nigerian citizens for their support, just as he called for improved partnership and collaboration between them and the police, particularly in the area of providing useful information to tackle crimes and apprehend unrepentant criminals.
The IGP said that the suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.
