The Nigeria Police Force has disclosed that it arrested 1,346 suspects for various criminal activities in the last five weeks.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made this known in a statement posted on X on Friday.
He gave the breakdown of the arrest made so far as follows: 385 armed robbery suspects, 238 kidnapping suspects, 341 murder/homicide suspects, 87 suspects connected with unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, among others.
Speaking further on significant achievements the Force has made in combating crimes across the country over the past five weeks in its bid to make crime less attractive and ensure the safety of all citizens, Adejobi explained that the police have recovered 143 firearms of various calibres, 741 ammunition, and 72 stolen vehicles, as well as the rescue of 461 kidnapped victims across the country.
He stressed that a team from Operation Zenda Joint Task Force, on March 4, acting on credible intelligence, invaded an arms manufacturing hideout at Amahundu, Nanev, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State and arrested nine suspects, including a Cameroonian.
The FPRO listed the exhibits recovered from the suspects to include 8 Beretta Pistols under fabrication, 1 AK-47 rifle, 10 AK47 live ammunition, 5 Beretta pistol ammunition, four (4) welding gas cylinders and other fabrication materials.
He then enjoined all landlords and employers of domestic staff 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 forms for proper profiling of intended employees/tenants for employment and tenancy purposes so as to strengthen the capacity of the NPF to identify and deter potential threats within the FCT.
“As part of the ongoing drive to safeguard the country from the activities of criminal elements under the visionary leadership of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force has made salient achievements in combating crimes across the country over the past five (5) weeks in its bid to make crime less attractive and ensuring the safety of all citizens leading to the arrest of 385 armed robbery suspects, 238 kidnapping suspects, 341 murder/homicide suspects, 87 suspects connected with unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, 143 rape suspects, 151 cultism suspects. Also, the police have recovered 143 firearms of various calibres, 741 ammunitions, and 72 stolen vehicles, as well as the rescue of 461 kidnapped victims across the country.
“Amongst the pivotal cases, on 4th Mach, 2024, a team from Operation Zenda Joint Task Force, acting on credible intelligence, invaded an arms manufacturing hideout at Amahundu, Nanev, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State and arrested nine (9) suspects including a Cameroonian. Exhibits recovered from them include 8 Barretta Pistols under fabrication, 1 AK-47 rifle, 10 AK47 live ammunition, 5 Barretta pistol ammunition, four (4) welding gas cylinders and other fabrication materials.
“In the same vein, operatives of the FCT Command on 24th February, 2024, acting upon credible intelligence stormed Sardauna, Toto forests and arrested one Samaila Wakili Fafa AKA Habu Ibrahim, a kidnap kingpin on the Command wanted list with a bounty placed on him by the Honourable Minister of the FCT.
“He confessed to several killings done by himself and his gang, including the abduction of one Barr Chris Agidy, the legal aide to Senator Ned Nwoko and Mr Sunday Yahaya 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 Barr Agidy whose corpse was exhumed and deposited at Gwagwalada General Hospital,” the statement read in part.
