The Nigerian Police Force, Kogi Command, says it has arrested 75 suspected kidnappers, 66 armed robbery suspects and 141 others for various crimes across the state.
By Stephen Adeleye
The Nigerian Police Force, Kogi Command, says it has arrested 75 suspected kidnappers, 66 armed robbery suspects and 141 others for various crimes across the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, disclosed this at his maiden press briefing on Tuesday in Lokoja.
Dantawaye said that a total of 239 suspects were arrested for various crimes across from February till date.
According to him, 66 suspects were arrested for armed robbery; 75 for kidnapping; 18 for homicide; 21 for unlawful possession of firearms; four for rape; six for cultism; and 49 for other crimes.He said that the command within the period under review recovered various exhibits which included five AK-47 rifles, two AK-49 rifles, nine magazines, 344 rounds of 7.62/39mm ammunition, and 62 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition from the suspects.
Other exhibits he said were two rounds of 7.62/59mm ammunition, one locally made revolver barrel gun, one black pump action magazine, nine expended AK ammunition, seven expended cartridges, two pump action guns, and two locally made pistols.
He also said that one green colored Sharon vehicle with Registration Number KUJ 265 BL, was recovered.
He explained that on Sunday, the Unit Commander attached to the Kogi University, Kabba, ASP Adoga Sule, reported that at about 20:10hrs, one green colored Sharon vehicle with registration number KUJ 265 BL approached their nipping point on high speed and refused to stop for search and ran over a barricade.
He said the officers immediately gave him hot pursuit, while the driver noticed that the Police were trailing him, he abandoned the vehicle and ran into the bush.
“The Team cordoned the area and conducted search on the abandoned vehicle; Five AK-47 rifles, Eight Magazines, 283 rounds of 7.62/39mm, 62 rounds of 5.56mm, and two rounds of 7.62/59mm were recovered.
“Effort is ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspect,” Dantawaye said.
The commissioner attributed the feats to the proactive strategies rooted in intelligence-led policing and robust interaction with the various stakeholders in the communities, particularly in the area of information sharing.
He disclosed that the command had commenced training of its personnel to enhance their mental and operational capacity for better and efficient service delivery in the state.
The CP added that the command had also adopted comprehensive crime prevention and control strategies in recent time through intensive patrol along the major highways, raid of identified criminal hideouts; black spots and flash points, among others.
“The command continues to adopt common problem-solving strategies embedded in the IGP’s community policing templates, which will help to improve public confidence in our service delivery.
“The command has also provided an avenue for effective collaboration with other critical stakeholders by giving them access to share information and intelligence that will assist in crime control and management,” he said.
Dantawaye therefore solicited for more support and cooperation from residents to provide credible and timely information to the police in the fight against criminality in the state in the interest of public safety.
”I assure you that the renewed commitment of the command to sustain the tempo of fight against criminality in Kogi and guarantee protection of lives and properties remains unequivocal and unwavering,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)