No fewer than 1,3436 suspects have been arrested nationwide for various offences, including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, gunrunning, and rape, the Nigeria Police reveals.
The police also reported that they recovered and seized 143 weapons, 741 ammunition, 72 stolen vehicles, and rescued 461 kidnapped victims across the country.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this while parading the suspects at the Force Intelligence Response Team’s station in Guzape, Abuja, stated that the arrests and recoveries occurred within the last five weeks under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun.
“Now, turning to recent crime-fighting achievements, within the period under review, we have recorded the arrest of 385 armed robbery suspects, 238 kidnapping suspects, 341 murder/homicide suspects, 87 suspects connected with the unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, 143 rape suspects, and 151 cultism suspects.
“We have also recovered 143 various firearms, 741 ammunition of various calibres, 72 stolen vehicles, and 461 kidnapped victims across the country,” Adejobi said.
He stated that as part of the ongoing effort to protect the country from the actions of criminal elements, the police began profiling prospective tenants and domestic staff in the Federal Capital Territory and planned to expand the exercise to other states.
Adejobi added, “The Inspector General of Police also urged all landlords and employers of domestic workers in the Federal Capital Territory, and by extension, other states of the federation, to ensure they visit police stations within their areas to request for and fill out forms for proper profiling of intended employees and tenants for employment and tenancy purposes to strengthen the capacity of the NPF to identify and deter potential threats within the FCT.”
Furthermore, the FPRO said, “In the same vein, operatives of the FCT Command on February 25, 2024, acting upon credible intelligence, stormed Sardauna and Toto forests and arrested one Samaila Wakili Fafa, AKA Habu Ibrahim, a kidnapping kingpin on the command’s wanted list with a bounty placed on him by the minister of the FCT.
“He confessed to several killings done by himself and his gang, including the abduction of one Chris Agidy, the legal aide to Senator Ned Nwoko, and Mr. Sunday Zakwai, the village head of Ketti Village, who were both killed by him.
“He led operatives to where he buried the remains of the late Agidy, whose corpse was exhumed and deposited at Gwagwalada General Hospital.”
Meanwhile, he stated that the Nigeria Police Force, realising the importance of officer welfare in improving service delivery, has taken strategic initiatives to ensure that officers and men of the force are well provided for.
He added, “Some of the recent activities of the Force in this regard include the swift disbursement of insurance packages to families of fallen policemen within the past nine months, amounting to N7.2bn; the Police Awards and Commendation Ceremony scheduled for April 15, 2024, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja; the NPF Housing Summit scheduled for April 22 to 23, 2024, with a focus on viable housing solutions; and the launch of the Police Fund to support officers’ accommodation needs.”
