Malik Yahya/
Kaduna State now leads in cases of kidnapping followed by Plateau and Edo states respectively, says the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, who revealed that 170 kidnappers have landed in police net within the past one month when 275 armed robbery suspects were also arrested.
According to him, the Federal Capital Territory leads in armed robbery cases, while Lagos, Zamfara, Edo, Delta, Kaduna and Niger states had the highest number of recovered guns which is 147.
Adamu made the revelations in Abuja on Friday while presenting the national crime profile of Nigeria from April 1, 2019 to May 10.
The IGP made the presentation when he met with senior police officers to review patterns and trends of crimes, particularly the threat of kidnapping, banditry and armed robbery.
The officers also evaluated the extent of implementation of Operation Puff Adder which was launched by the IGP on April 5, 2019 as a strategy to address internal security threats within the shortest possible time.
Adamu in a statement later issued by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba, gave details of the national crime profile thus:
“It is noted that the national crime profile of the country from 1st April, 2019 to date, indicates a slight increase in crime on the one hand, and a significant increase in the arrest of offenders and recoveries of firearms by the police on the other hand. Within this period, one hundred and fifty-seven (157) kidnappers were arrested across the country in April while thirteen (13) have so far been arrested in the first week of this month of May. Kaduna State recorded the highest number of arrested kidnappers with eighteen (18) suspects, followed by Plateau State with seventeen (17), Edo State with fifteen (15) and ten (10) each in Niger and Zamfara States.
“In addition, two hundred and eighteen (218) armed robbery suspects were arrested in several operations by the Police in various Commands in April, 2019 while fifty-seven (57) have so far been arrested in the first week of this month of May. FCT recorded the highest number with forty-two (42) arrests, followed by Edo State with twenty-eight (28), Oyo State with twenty-four (24), Anambra State with twenty-two (22), Imo State with twenty-one (21).
“Furthermore, one hundred and forty-seven (147) firearms of various description were recovered in April, 2019 while fifty (50) have so far been recovered in the first week of the month of May. Lagos and Zamfara States topped the list with twenty-two (22) recoveries each, followed by Edo State with twenty-one (21), Delta State with twenty (20), twelve (12) in Kaduna State and eleven (11) in Niger State.
“The fundamental import of these statistics is twofold. Firstly, while the rate of major crimes indicates a slight increase, the effects remain of internal security concern. Secondly, from the rate and pattern of arrests and recoveries made in recent times by the Police, it could be discerned that while these sets of crimes remain prevalent, the rate of arrests of offenders and recoveries connected to the crimes have been on steady increase.
“This trend was, particularly, noticeable from the month of April, 2019 which coincides with the launch of Operation Puff Adder. This is indicative of the fact that Operation Puff Adder has been largely effective in strengthening the capacity of the Police to respond to internal security threats.
“The essence of this Conference, therefore is to challenge you all, as strategic Police managers at the field operations level, to build on the solid foundation already laid with the launch of Operation Puff Adder and strengthen the crime management frameworks in your respective Commands.
“Following its launch about a month ago, Operation Puff Adders has been replicated in all the States in the Northern part of the country and in most States in the South and feedbacks on the achievements of the initiative have been encouraging.”
In order to complement the efforts of the crime fighters, the IGP pledged that the Safer Highway Motorized Patrol Scheme would be resuscitated.
“This will involve the acquisition of new fleet of operational vehicles, equipment and weaponry towards expanding the operational scope of the scheme. Similarly, plans are being perfected to establish a National Crime Analysis Centre for purpose of collation, analysis and dissemination of criminal intelligence to support police operations across all commands,” Adamu said.
He urged the officers to return to their respective Commands with a renewed vigour to redouble efforts towards taking the war against kidnappers, armed robbers and bandits to their doorsteps. He also urged them to draw on their rich professional experiences in evolving more potent strategies directed at attaining the police mandate of maintaining internal security and reversing the current trend of crime across the country.
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