…New measures on Abuja-Kaduna highway, South East
By Hassan Zaggi
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has disclosed that 1,239 suspected criminals were arrested between January 2022 to date.
This is even as the IGP also revealed that the Force has put in place new measures to protect motorists along the Abuja-Kaduna high and to also halt the activities of criminal elements in the South Eastern part of the country.
He made the disclosure at a meeting with strategic police managers in Abuja, Thursday, revealing that the Force has secured the approval of the National Communications Commission (NCC) for the allocation of a national Police Short Code ‘933’ for free emergency calls and information sharing between the Police and citizens. It will be formally launched.
Giving a breakdown of the suspected criminals, the IGP said: “Between January 2022 to date the Nigeria Police has arrested a total of 328 Terrorists/Bandits; 325 Armed Robbery suspects; 339 kidnapping offenders and 247 suspected cultists.
“Also, within this period, we have safely rescued 307 kidnapped victims and recovered 510 firearms of various descriptions, and 8,906 ammunition of various descriptions and calibre including rocket propelled grenades and other Improvised Explosive Devices.”
He, however, said that the successes would not have been possible “without the loyalty, sacrifice, courage, and purposeful leadership of all of you that are gathered here.”
The IGP, therefore, applauded what he described as the renewed sense of duty and patriotism of the men and officers of the Force.
“I, however, encourage you to sustain the positive trend. This is because as the national political landscape becomes more active, there will be new threats to our internal security which will further challenge you as strategic police Commanders.
“I am confident that in addressing these anticipated threats, you shall continue to deploy your wealth of experience to aid the nation in deepening our democratic values.”
The IGP, however, assured Nigerians of the commitment of the Force management team to “as the lead agency in the election security process, that we shall emplace appropriate frameworks that will engender a fair, peaceful, secure, and credible electoral process in both the Ekiti and Osun States gubernatorial elections and during the upcoming 2023 general elections.”
Speaking on the 2023 general elections, IGP Alkali said that the Force is currently working on enhancing the capacity of its officers in election security management.
On the new measures put in place to protect travelers at the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, the IGP disclosed that: “I wish to use this opportunity to re-assure Nigerians that the Nigeria Police are collaborating effectively with the Military, Department of State Services, the Ministry of Transport, and the Nigerian Railway Corporation towards evolving a resilient security architecture that will address the current threats on a sustainable basis.
“In the interim, aside upscaling our patrol operations along the highway, we have deployed our air assets for aerial surveillance in support of the ground police teams.
Speaking on the security situation in the South East, he said: “In addition, we have re-invigorated the ‘Operation Safer Highway’ with the injection of more patrol vehicles and personnel across the country.
“We have similarly, strengthened ‘Operation Restore Peace’, the Special Anti-Secessionist Operation in the South East with the deployment of more special operational Units and assets of the Force.”
