The Nigeria Police Force has made significant progress in fighting crime in recent weeks, according to Acting Inspector-General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun.
Egbetokun said that the police have arrested hundreds of suspects for various crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, homicide, possession of prohibited firearms, rape, defilement, cultism, and other offenses.
The police have also recovered many weapons and vehicles, including 127 firearms of different calibers, 612 assorted ammunition, and 89 stolen vehicles.
“In the past five weeks, our committed officers have demonstrated relentless determination in upholding law and order. Through meticulously planned and well-coordinated operations driven by actionable intelligence, the Nigeria Police Force has effectively disrupted multiple infamous criminal syndicates involved in organised crimes, leading to arrest of 288 armed robbery suspects, 187 kidnap suspects, 198 homicide suspects, 59 suspects for possession of prohibited firearms, 168 suspects involved in cases of rape, defilement and other sexual offences, 265 suspected cultists, and 1891 suspects for various crimes.
“A total of 127 firearms of different calibres, 612 assorted ammunition, and 89 stolen vehicles were recovered nationwide while 71 kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt and subsequently reunited with their families and loved ones within the same period of five weeks” he said
Egbetokun attributed the police’s success to several factors, including meticulous planning, well-coordinated operations, and actionable intelligence.
He also said the police have significantly invested in upgrading their infrastructure and digital capabilities.
One of the most notable achievements of the police in recent weeks has been the recovery of stolen vehicles. The Central Motor Registry, which was recently automated and rolled out, has helped the police to identify and recover stolen vehicles more quickly and efficiently.
The IGP also stated that steps have been taken to address the issue of illegal firearms in the country. He has set up an ad hoc committee to review firearms licensing and regulations, and he has warned individuals who are in wrongful possession of firearms to surrender them to the police without fear of sanction.
