NIGERIA: Police arrest 1,346 suspected kidnappers, rapists in five weeks

The Nigeria Police Force on Friday, April 12, said they have arrested 1,346 suspects for various offences, including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, gun running, and rape across the country.

The police also said they recovered and seized 143 firearms, 741 ammunition, 72 stolen vehicles and have rescued 461 kidnapped victims across the country, The Punch has reported.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this while parading the suspects at the Force Intelligence Response Team’s station, Guzape, Abuja, noted that the arrests and recoveries were made under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, within the last five weeks.

“Now, turning to recent crime-fighting achievements, within the period under review, we have recorded the arrest of 385 armed robbery suspects, 238 kidnapping suspects, 341 murder/homicide suspects, 87 suspects connected with the unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, 143 rape suspects, and 151 cultism suspects.

“We have also recovered 143 various firearms, 741 ammunition of various calibres, recovered 72 stolen vehicles and rescued 461 kidnapped victims across the country,” Adejobi said.

He noted that as part of the ongoing drive to safeguard the country from the activities of criminal elements, the police began the profiling of intending tenants and domestic employees in the Federal Capital Territory, and would extend the exercise to other states.

Adejobi added, “The Inspector General of Police also urged all landlords and employers of domestic workers 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 to strengthen the capacity of the NPF to identify and deter potential threats within the FCT.”

Speaking further about the arrests made, the FPRO said, “In the same vein, operatives of the FCT Command on February 25, 2024, acting upon credible intelligence stormed Sardauna, Toto forests, and arrested one Samaila Wakili Fafa AKA Habu Ibrahim, a kidnap kingpin on the command’s wanted list with a bounty placed on him by the minister of the FCT.

“He confessed to several killings done by himself and his gang, including the abduction of one Chris Agidy, the legal aide to Senator Ned Nwoko, and Mr Sunday 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 Agidy whose corpse was exhumed and deposited at Gwagwalada General Hospital.”

Meanwhile, he noted that the Nigeria Police Force, recognising the essential role of officer welfare in enhancing service delivery, has taken strategic steps to ensure that officers and men of the Force are adequately catered to.

He added, “Some of the recent activities of the Force in this regard include the swift disbursement of insurance packages to families of fallen policemen within the past nine months, amounting to N7.2bn, the Police Awards and Commendation Ceremony scheduled for April 15, 2024, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, the NPF Housing Summit scheduled for April 22 to 23, 2024, with focus on viable housing solutions and the launch of the Police Fund to support officers’ accommodation needs.”