The Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, says 1,154
suspected kidnappers were arrested across the country between January
and August.
Adamu, who made the disclosure on Monday during the Southwest
Geopolitical Zone Security Summit held in Ibadan, said that 147 of the
arrests were made in the Southwest.
He said that a total of 837 victims of kidnapping were rescued, with 106 of such rescues achieved in the Southwest.
He further said: ”Between January and August, a total of 552 murder
suspects were arrested with 66 such arrests effected in the Southwest.
”2,015 armed robbery suspects were arrested with 363 of the figure arrested in the zone.
”1,183 suspected cultists were napped, out of which 425 were arrested in the zone.
”In relation to recovery, 1,356 firearms of various caliber and
descriptions were recovered in various intelligence-led operations by
the Police, with 277 of such recoveries made in the Southwest.
”Similarly, 21,300 ammunition of various descriptions and calibre
were recovered with the highest number of 5,270 ammunition recovered
from criminal syndicates in the zone.
”Also, 1,541 stolen vehicles were recovered across the country, with 482 of such recoveries in Southwest,” he stated.
The IGP said the statistics pointed out that the Police in recent
months have developed capacity and demonstrated the requisite
professional zeal.
He, however, said there were isolated cases of kidnapping and armed
robbery in the Southwest, particularly along Benin-Ore-Lagos highway and
across Ondo state.
He said the current operations of the Police and other security
agencies across the country, particularly along Niger- Kogi- FCT -Kaduna
-Katsina and Zamfara state has been successful.
“The operations areas have engendered a dispersal and relocation of
some of the criminals to new localities including the Southwest.”
He said a special operation was underway across South west to
specifically address the threat of kidnapping and armed robbery on the
highways and other locations.
He therefore called on the security stakeholders in the zone to
support the Police in strengthening and advancing in the interest of
communal and internal security.
On the essence of the security summit, Adamu said the meeting was
convened within the context of police community policing vision which
emphasise citizens engagement in the process of identifying, dissecting
”and prioritising threats to communal values.
”Partnering to develop strategies to address the threats and building trust to undertake actions directed at mitigating them.”
He noted that experience from the first security summit held in the
North East geopolitical zone highlighted the fact that Police could not
proceed on an anti-crime war against criminal elements that were united
in their determination to threaten nation’s common values with a divided
front.
”Hence we must as a strategy, strengthen partnership among ourselves
as a community on the one hand and between the communities and the
Police on the other hand.
”The strength of this partnership and the commitment of all actors
within the process will undoubtedly, influence the extent of success we
can record against the criminals.
He noted that the first security summit underscores the strategic
importance of community policing as the most potent strategy for
internal security governance.
He posited that no police agency either in the advanced or developing
climes can succeed in its mandate without the consent, support and
trust of the citizens, regardless of how well equipped, trained or
motivated they might be.
He stressed that police legitimacy draws from public consent and
trust, saying that lack of effective partnership between the police and
the public could only sustain ineffective policing and engender
insecurity.
He expressed optimism that the aim of convening the summit ”can and
shall be achieved; including advancing the principles of community
policing in engaging the citizens towards X-raying the dynamics of crime
in the Southwest geopolitical zone.
Adamu further disclosed that 40,000 Community Police Officers (CPOs)
would be recruited in order to give full effect to Community Policing
Vision as a pathway towards bridging security gaps across the country.
He said the CPOs would be recruited from within the communities where the prospective applicants reside.
Reading the communique at the end of the summit, the host governor,
Mr Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, said that the IGP has approved the
deployment of special forces to be commanded by a Commissioner of
Police.
Makinde said the CP would lead a Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats (SWOT) team to support the crime-fighting initiative of the
state commissioners of police.
Makinde said the South West States Governors have made commitment
towards provision of more serviceable, fast-moving patrol vehicles in
support of crime-fighting, which shall be launched in no distant future,
to complement the available fleet.
He said the traditional rulers have promised to join hands with the
Police to take the ongoing fight against heinous crime to the door steps
of the criminals.
”The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has equally agreed to partner with the Police in fighting crime to bring it to the lowest ebb.
”The deployment of cutting-edge technology, like CCTV will be
strengthened. Aerial surveillance of flashpoints across the South West
Geo-political Zone will be sustained.
”In order to give effect to the community policing vision of the
Nigeria Police Force, Community Policing Officers (CPOs) would be
recruited from within the communities where they reside.
”This will complement the Police in law enforcement functions within
their localities by performing low-risk and non-sensitive police
functions.
”It’s agreed that a committee, consisting of policemen, other
security agencies, the OPC led by Chief Gani Adams, Miyetti Allah and
the citizenry should be set up in each state.
”This is further discuss the modalities on reduction of crime and criminalities as it affects the state,” Makinde stated.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governors of the
Southwest states; Oyo – Makinde and Osun – Gboyega Oyetola were present
at the occasion while Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti were represented by
their deputies.
They were Dr Obafemi Hamzat- Lagos, Noimot Salako- Oyedele- Ogun, Agboola Ajayi- Ondo and Bisi Egbeyemi-Ekiti.