140 Police Officers Died On Duty In FCT – Report

In 2024, approximately 140 officers of the Nigeria Police Force reportedly died in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) while on duty.

The FCT Command also recovered a total of ₦409,992,000 from criminal activities in the year under review.

Naijaonpoint reports that the figures were confirmed in a report released by the Force.

The command’s performance summary, presented to the media on Wednesday by spokesperson Josephine Adeh, indicated that ₦36,850,000 was retrieved from individuals involved in kidnapping, ₦68,552,000 from armed robbery suspects, ₦19,590,000 from burglary incidents, and ₦285,000,000 from fraud-related cases.

Additionally, Adeh disclosed that during the same timeframe, 1,426 cases were reported, resulting in the apprehension of 1,077 suspects.

Fraud cases emerged as the most prevalent, with 385 incidents leading to the arrest of 422 suspects. Armed robbery followed, with 268 cases and 132 arrests, while one-chance robbery ranked third with 263 cases and 71 arrests.

Car theft was next, with 127 cases and 64 suspects apprehended, and kidnapping rounded out the top five, with 104 cases resulting in 216 arrests.

The report also highlighted that 32 cases of cybercrime were reported, leading to the arrest of 15 suspects.

In terms of homicide, 68 cases were documented, resulting in 78 arrests, while burglary accounted for 73 cases, with 20 suspects apprehended. Cultism was noted with 38 cases, leading to 59 arrests.

According to the findings, 376 firearms were seized, including 13 AK-47 magazines and 187 rounds of live ammunition. Furthermore, 73 vehicles were recovered from car theft incidents, 24 from one-chance robbery cases, and two from cultism-related activities.

The statistics indicate a 15.1% decrease in crime incidents within the Federal Capital Territory from 2023 to 2024, alongside the rescue of 68 kidnapping victims and 19 victims of one-chance robbery.

The report stressed that 140 police officers died in the line of duty, while 68 complaints were lodged against personnel of the command, and 58 suspects were charged, with no convictions recorded.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command reported that, following prosecutions and convictions, a total of 38 individuals suspected of kidnapping were brought before the court, resulting in 21 convictions.

Additionally, in cases of one-chance robbery, 16 suspects were charged, with 11 convicted. For homicide, 32 suspects faced charges, leading to 8 convictions. In fraud cases, 178 suspects were charged, with 58 resulting in convictions.

Regarding cultism, 19 suspects were charged, and 11 were convicted. In burglary cases, 26 suspects were charged, with 8 convictions, while in car theft, 21 suspects were charged, resulting in 11 convictions.

Looking ahead to 2025, the command outlined its strategic focus on enhancing community policing and executing targeted operations.

It emphasized that building on the achievements of 2024, there will be an increased commitment to community policing initiatives, intelligence-driven strategies, targeted clearance operations, and public awareness campaigns to meet the evolving security challenges within the FCT.

Furthermore, the command expressed its dedication to maintaining the progress made in reducing crime rates and ensuring a stable and peaceful environment in the FCT, reaffirming its commitment to the ongoing fight against criminal activities.