In the last five weeks, the Nigeria Police Force has detained 288 suspects in armed robberies, 187 suspects in kidnappings, 198 suspects in homicides, 59 suspects for possessing illegal firearms, 168 suspects in rape, defilement, and other sexual offenses, 265 suspects in suspected cult activity, and 1891 other suspects for various crimes.
In addition, 127 weapons of various calibres, 612 different rounds of ammunition, and 89 stolen vehicles were all retrieved by police across the country during the same time period. 71 kidnapped victims were also freed without injury and later reunited with their families and loved ones.
In addition, 89 stolen vehicles have been found by the police in the last five weeks. Meanwhile, 1,244 vehicles have been registered overall, with 234 of those being discovered to have been reported stolen on the Central Motor System. The police high command also noted that 46 stolen vehicles—out of a total of 89 vehicles—had been recovered so far thanks to the field operatives’ and CMR desk officers’ quick action.
At a meeting with strategic police managers on Thursday at Force Headquarters in Abuja, acting Inspector-General of Police Olukayode Egbetokun announced the development. The meeting was with Deputy Inspector Generals of Police, Assistant Inspector Generals of Police, and Commissioners of Police.
In spite of pockets of unpleasant incidents recorded in some regions of the nation, he said that the past five weeks have been both good and bad for the Nigeria Police, and that the country is currently experiencing a steady decline in overall crime rates when compared to earlier figures.
“The accomplishments would not have been possible without the combined efforts of our officers, the backing of the federal government, the assistance and cooperation of state governments, and the support of the general public. The Nigeria Police Force will continue to adopt and embrace contemporary policing strategies and an all-inclusive paradigm shift to address the various dimensions of crimes and criminality in Nigeria, I need to reiterate, Egbetokun said.
Despite the threats of political and socioeconomic instability that accompanied the removal of fuel subsidies and the establishment of post-election tribunals nationwide, he also noted that the internal security situation in the country has been relatively calm over the past month or so. He added that, in comparison to the past, the country recorded fewer violent crimes and other serious offenses nationwide.
“Our dedicated officers have demonstrated unwavering resolve in upholding law and order over the past five weeks,” Egbetokun said. The Nigeria Police Force has successfully dismantled numerous notorious criminal syndicates involved in organized crimes through meticulously planned and well-coordinated operations that are driven by actionable intelligence. As a result, 288 armed robbery suspects, 187 kidnap suspects, 198 murder suspects, 59 suspects for possessing illegal firearms, 168 suspects involved in rape, defilement, and other sexual offenses, 265 suspected cultists, and 1891
“Overall, 127 different calibre firearms, 612 different rounds of ammunition, and 89 stolen vehicles were found across the country, while 71 kidnapped victims were freed unharmed and later reunited with their families and loved ones during the same five-week period.
“In the interest of public safety and general security, we have established an ad hoc committee to review the licensing and regulations for firearms in accordance with the Firearms Act and other applicable laws. This is done in order to address all types of cases involving arms in the nation.
The committee’s mandate will include a thorough analysis of the current laws and regulations governing the licensing of firearms with the goal of enhancing their efficiency, accountability, and transparency. To ensure a thorough and informed review, this will be done in collaboration with the appropriate stakeholders.
He also urged people who were in possession of firearms unlawfully to turn them in to the nearest police station, where they would be turned in without consequence.
“On this note, all persons involved in the wrongful possession of arms and light weapons are hereby warned to surrender such wrongful possession of arms to police at the police stations nearest to them. This will not result in punishment.
“By this announcement, all State Commissioners of Police, supervising Assistant Inspectors General of Police in charge of Zonal Commands, and Tactical Commanders are mandated to immediately begin a total crackdown on the illegal manufacture, sales, possession, and use of proscribed firearms in the nation.
All Nigerians are hereby urged to contact their local police stations and report any suspicious firearms-related activity. Additionally, they can report through the various NPF social media channels for quick attention and action.
Speaking of the Special Intervention Squad, Egbetokun stated that a group of 25 trainers and instructors from different police colleges and training schools have been carefully chosen to travel to another country for specialized training. This is in furtherance of his administration’s resolve to make sure that all types of violent crimes in Nigeria are adequately prepared for, identified, and dealt with. It also complies with his earlier directive for the establishment of a 40,000-strong SIS.
The Central Motor Registry, which was recently automated and rolled out, was also mentioned as having revolutionized how police in the nation respond to the problem of stolen vehicles.
“The mission is to provide them with pertinent training in the Special Intervention Squad program, an initiative aimed at arming our personnel with cutting-edge skills and techniques for handling complex security challenges across the country,” Egbetokun stated.
“We have made sizable investments in modernizing our infrastructure and digital capabilities, and these are showing promising results. We recognize the importance of cutting-edge technology in contemporary law enforcement.
“The Central Motor Registry has revolutionized police response to the challenge of stolen vehicles in the nation. It was recently automated and rolled out. With the help of the platform, Nigerians can register their cars online, increasing the likelihood that they will be found if they are stolen.
“Overall 1,244 vehicles were registered on the CMR platform during the period under review, of which 234 were later discovered to have been reported stolen on the platform. The quick action of the CMR desk officers and field agents has resulted in the recovery of 46 stolen vehicles so far.
“This number is included in the total of 89 stolen cars that have been found over the past five weeks. With the goal of recovering everything, efforts to recover more are still being made. For the sake of the public’s safety and security, we hereby encourage them to access the platform at cmris.npf.gov.ng and register their vehicles.
