The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said it has received and traced 172 cases of kidnappings and arrested some of the kidnappers in the last seven weeks.
This was revealed by the inspector-general of police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, at a strategic security meeting with senior police officers from the rank of deputy commissioner of police and above on Thursday in Abuja to address insecurity in the country.
According to the IGP, “Following from our last meeting held on the 18th of December, 2023, I am pleased to report that substantial progress has been recorded, driven by the implementation of various strategies to address the rising wave of crimes in the country. Of particular significance is the launch of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) in the FCT which has started to yield positive dividends as highlighted later in this address. Significant strides have also been made in maintaining law and order, combating criminal activities, including but not limited to kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, insurgency, and secessionist groups. The commendable level of success attained reflects our collective dedication, resilience, and tenacity which have played a pivotal role in achieving positive outcomes and fostering a safer environment for our citizens.
“In the last seven weeks since we had the last Conference, the Force has attained noteworthy milestones in curtailing crime rates throughout the country. This achievement is attributable to the strategic blend of proactive policing, intelligence-led operations and community engagements as advocated by the Force leadership.
“During this period, we recorded 35 cases of terrorism/secessionist attacks, 302 cases of murder, one hundred and eleven (111) cases of armed robbery, 172 cases of kidnapping, 67 cases of banditry, and 15 cases of unlawful possession of firearms.
He further said, “By executing some of the strategies and plans formulated at the last conference, the Nigeria Police Force arrested 814 suspects for their participation in various crimes, rescued 107 kidnap victims, and recovered 166 various firearms, 1,074 ammunition and 41 vehicles.”
The IGP assured of the determination and unrelentless effort by the police to rid the nation of all forms of crime and criminality in the interest of national security.
He also assured that the Nigeria Police Force was committed to the protection of the lives and properties of all citizens of the country.
