The Nigerian military, police, and Department of State Services have made significant progress in their fight against crime.
They rescued over 479 kidnap victims and arrested more than 790 criminals, including terrorists in one month.
This information was shared on Monday during a joint press briefing organized by the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja. The briefing was attended by spokesmen from various security agencies.
The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya,revealed that these efforts led to the killing of 572 terrorists and the recovery of over 440 weapons and 10,589 rounds of ammunition. Afunanya said, “Within the month of July, the Service sustained proactive intelligence acquisition and dissemination. This led to the arrest of criminal elements involved in oil theft, kidnapping, burglary, and other crimes.”
He added that the operations also resulted in the recovery of crude oil worth over 3 billion naira. The DSS, along with other agencies, also seized a variety of weapons, including AK-47 rifles, pump action rifles, and locally-made pistols. Afunanya noted, “We recovered semi-automatic double barrels, cartridges, and IED initiators, among other items.”
The Nigerian police also made notable arrests. On July 2, the FID-IRT operatives arrested 16 motorcycle thieves in Plateau State, recovering eight motorcycles and 11 tricycles. The DSS spokesman reported, “On July 9, Taraba State Intelligence Department operatives apprehended a six-man kidnapping syndicate in Mararaba Kunini. We seized an AK-47 with live ammunition and several other weapons.”
The Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad of Taraba State also made headlines by arresting a notorious kidnapper and recovering three AK-47 rifles and four magazines. Additionally, the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre tackled a massive financial fraud case, recovering over 3.9 billion naira in cash, properties, and vehicles.
In Lagos, a notorious kidnapping gang was thwarted, with nine kidnappers neutralized and significant weaponry recovered, including four AK-47 rifles. The police continue their investigations to catch the remaining suspects.
Furthermore, the IGP Special Task Force on Petroleum and Illegal Bunkering disrupted illegal petroleum activities, intercepting trucks and boats and recovering 195,000 liters of crude oil.
The security agencies have promised to continue their efforts to maintain safety and bring criminals to justice.
