The Ogun State Police Command said on Friday that it has within the first three months of the year arrested 2,141 suspects for various criminal offences ranging from armed robbery to rape and cultism, among others.

The command said that within this same period, it has prosecuted 1530 suspects, secured 62 convictions, and recovered properties, including stolen vehicles, with a value of N106,786,000.

Arms and ammunition recovered within this period under review were put at 217.

The spokeswoman for the command, CSP Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement sent to journalists on Friday.

The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, said that feedback from the regular engagement with the communities in the state proved so vital to giving bite to the renewed onslaught against crime fighting in the state.

Odutola said, “Record shows that while the command contended with a spike in overall criminal activities in February, there was a noticeable decline in the number of cases investigated and prosecuted in March.

“Conviction of suspects across the three months is relatively stable, with a downward trend in the number of suspects arrested for rape, but an increasing number of suspects were arrested for cult-related activities due to pro-active measures emplaced by the anti-cultism unit.

“Five (5) kidnap suspects were arrested during the period; however, there was a drastic reduction in actual kidnap incidents.

“Twenty-six (26) stolen vehicles were recovered in the first quarter due to the vigilance of patrol teams conducting stop and search.

“Some of the drivers stole the vehicles from other states and intended to take advantage of the gateway status of the state to escape.”

She added that the success achieved and the relative peace in the state are a result of continuous assistance provided by Governor Dapo Abiodun, backed with technical and logistic support provided by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, coupled with the cooperation of the residents of the state.

For the safety of travellers in the state, she said that the command has established a security shed along the Sagamu-Ijebu Ode highway, and this is supported by motorised patrol teams positioned on both sides of the long bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan motorway.

Odutola said that one armoured personnel carrier is stationed at the Sagamu interchange, Ilaro and Ijebu Ode, while two others are actively deployed to the Sagamu axis and Abeokuta metropolis.

The command reiterated its commitment to sustaining partnerships with citizens to keep the state safe and increase investors’ confidence in undertaking business activities.

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested two suspected cultists in separate operations and recovered firearms along with other incriminating items.

In a statement on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said the arrests were made during intelligence-led patrols across the state.

He said, “On 22nd March 2025, police operatives attached to the Obosi Division on intelligent-led patrol along the Obosi/Nkpor Road arrested one Kosiso Okonwko ‘M’ and recovered one Berreta pistol.

“The suspect confessed to being a member of Aye Confertanity.”

He added that in another operation, officers from B Division, alongside Mobile Police personnel from the 29 Squadron, intercepted a tricycle along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway in Amansea.

He said the tricycle “with Reg No. BBG 767 QH, driven by one Augustine Okafor ‘M’ wearing Army Camouflage trousers.

“During interrogation, the suspect could not provide a satisfactory answer, which caused the operatives to search him and recover one Berreta pistol, seven live ammunition, cash N15,600, substances suspected to be hard drugs and charms.”

Following the arrests, Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the command’s tactical unit for further investigation.

“The CP further notes that the Anambra police operatives are more motivated and have been actively working to combat crime and ensure public safety in the state,” he added.

The Edo State Police Command has arrested six suspected kidnappers with cash suspected to be proceeds from kidnapping activities.

The command’s spokesperson, Moses Yamu, in a statement on Tuesday, said arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects in the last 48 hours.

Yamu disclosed that the arrests and recoveries were made in several places in Edo North which has experienced kidnappings and killings in the last three weeks.

The statement read, “On 16/03/2024 at about 04:30hrs, operatives of the Agbede Police Division alongside vigilante personnel, while on stop and search in Aviele along Abumere by power line, intercepted and arrested three suspects Jamilu Idris (20 years) Usman Shuaibu (24 years) and Yahuza Usman (20 years).

“One English-made Beretta pistol, one dagger, and an Infinix phone were recovered from the suspects after they were searched.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are part of a syndicate responsible for kidnaping and armed robbery, including snatching of motorcycles in that axis of the state. Investigation continues with a view to arrest other members of the syndicate.

“On 16/03/2025 at about 22:10hrs, operatives of the Auchi Division, in collaboration with the vigilante on routine stop and search at UBA junction Auchi, intercepted two young men. The young men who took to their heels on sighting the police were given a hot chase, and one Adamu Usman of Hausa Quarters was arrested while his accomplice escaped.

“The on-the-spot search led to the recovery of N1,345,100 believed to be proceeds of kidnapping. Also recovered were five micro sim cards, one machete, one dagger, two phones and a pack of cigarettes.

“During preliminary investigation, two additional suspects, Iliyasu Abubakar (19 years) and Safiyanu Mohammed (20 years) were arrested, while one of the sim cards was discovered to belong to one Ajibola Sunday of Igbirra camp in Auchi. When Ajibola Sunday was contacted and invited to the station, he identified the suspect as being part of the eight-man gang that kidnapped him and his mother-in-law on 11/03/2025 and their relations had to part with the sum of N10 million to secure their release.”

Yamu said that the Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin, assured the public of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property.

He assured all that perpetrators would be brought to justice.

A suspected car thief, Alhassan Isa, also known as Tata, has been arrested by the Jigawa State Police Command.

The suspect, a resident of Shuwarin town in Kiyawa Local Government Area, was found with a stolen Mazda 323 Model F, with registration number MNA 139HK, Niger State.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam, in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Dutse, stated that the owner of the vehicle, Abdurrahman Sadiq, who is a staff member of the Nigeria Institute of Oil Palm Research, reported the theft at the Dutse Division on February 21, 2025.

“Sadiq had parked his vehicle at Aujara village in Jahun Local Government Area and forgot the key inside. When he woke up the next morning, he discovered that the vehicle was missing.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that an unknown person or group had stolen the vehicle from where it was parked. Detectives from the Dutse Division and the State Criminal Investigation Department, Dutse launched an investigation, which led to the arrest of the suspect,” the statement partly read.

According to the PPRO, the suspect confessed to the crime during investigation and further investigation revealed that he was an ex-convict facing several charges for motorcycle and tricycle theft.

However, Adamu stated that the suspect would be arraigned in court, where he would face the full force of the law. “We will ensure that justice is served in this case,” he added.

The Jigawa Police Command cautioned vehicle owners in the state to be vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent theft.

The command also advised vehicle owners to always lock their vehicles and keep valuables out of sight.

The police therefore urged the public to report any suspicious activities or stolen vehicles to the authorities.

Also, the Jigawa police command reassured the public of their commitment to reducing crime and ensuring public safety.

The Edo State Police Command on Sunday said it has arrested a member of a local vigilante in Benin for allegedly killing an artisan and setting his corpse ablaze.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Moses Yamu, said the suspect was arrested by operatives of the Textile Mill Road Division following a distress call received from members of the public at about 8 am on February 20, 2025.

He said the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Textile Mill division received a call that they saw a corpse of a middle-aged man, Lasan Osaze Erhabor, lying under a heap of sawdust and burning.

He said, “The DPO mobilised and deployed his operatives to the scene and actually found the corpse burning under the sawdust.

“They took the corpse to the hospital, but, they, however, found that there was a gunshot injury on the back of the deceased.

“Investigation has already commenced, and we have one suspect in our custody who was the security person of the sawmill at the time the incident happened.”

Yamu said the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for in-depth investigations, assuring all that after the investigation, the suspect would be charged in court for murder.

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The Jigawa State Police Command has arrested a suspected car thief, Alhassan Isa, also known as Tata.

The suspect, a resident of Shuwarin town in Kiyawa Local Government Area, was found with a stolen Mazda 323 Model F, bearing registration number MNA 139HK, Niger State.

In a statement released on Sunday in Dutse, the Jigawa State Command Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Lawan Adam, stated that the vehicle’s owner, Abdurrahman Sadiq, a staff member of the Nigerian Institute of Oil Palm Research, reported the theft at the Dutse Division on February 21, 2025.

“Sadiq had parked his vehicle at Aujara village in Jahun Local Government Area and forgot the key inside. When he woke up the next morning, he discovered that the vehicle was missing,” the statement read.

Preliminary investigations revealed that an unknown person or group had stolen the vehicle from where it was parked.

Detectives from the Dutse Division and the State Criminal Investigation Department launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of the suspect.

According to the PPRO, the suspect confessed to the crime during the investigation. Further findings revealed that Alhassan Isa is an ex-convict with multiple charges related to motorcycle and tricycle theft.

However, SP Adam stated that the suspect would be arraigned in court to face legal proceedings.

“We will ensure that justice is served in this case,” Adam said.
The Jigawa State Police Command cautioned vehicle owners in the state to be vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent theft.

Accordingly, the command advised vehicle owners to always lock their vehicles and keep valuables out of sight.

The police also urged the public to report any suspicious activities or stolen vehicles to the authorities.

Additionally, the Jigawa Police reassured the public of their commitment to reducing crime and ensuring public safety.

Operatives of the CP Special Assignment team of the Delta State Police Command have busted a criminal hideout of some suspected kidnappers/armed robbers who have been terrorising residents of the Abraka/Obiaruku/Umutu axis of the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer SP Bright Edafe, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri on Friday.

The statement noted that the feat followed an intelligence-led investigation carried out on the arrest of some suspected kidnappers on January 30, 2025.

According to the statement, operatives of the CP Special Assignment team led by ASP Julius Robinson “made a significant achievement when they stormed the hideouts on February 2, 2025 and busted the house of the fleeing gang leader named Emeka, surname unknown, at about 1635hrs, located at Evwokenren Layout, off Ughelli road, Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area.

“During the raid, a fabricated semi-automatic Beretta pistol with four rounds of live ammunition, four locally made cut-to-size guns, 13 rounds of live cartridges, and a pair of military uniforms concealed in a black polythene bag were recovered,” the police spokesman affirmed.

The PPRO further disclosed that the suspect is in custody while a manhunt to arrest other members of his gang is ongoing.

In another development, on February 19, 2025, at about 1600 hrs, operatives of Safer 025 of Safer Highway Patrol, while conducting a stop and search on a commercial vehicle along the Agbor/Benin express road, arrested three suspects in possession of three locally made long guns and charms.

On interrogation, the suspects, namely, Buhari Bala (28), Habibu Sale (25), Abdulwahab Musa (20), and Taisu Bala (20), all male, claimed they were coming from Zaria, Kaduna State, and going to a bush close to Benin called Igbogri community for a hunting expedition.

The police spokesman stated that the suspects are in custody just as the investigation is ongoing.

In an earlier development, on January 17, 2025, acting on a tip-off, the DPO Agbarho Division, CSP Pius Eredei, mobilised and led operatives to the apartment of one Eriga Enyuche, aged 40 years.

Upon search of his one-room apartment, one G-3 rifle and one pump-action gun were recovered from where they were hidden in the ceiling of the room.

The investigation is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has declared that the Command under his watch “will not relent in the fight against crime and criminality.”

The CP maintained that “Delta State will remain hot for criminals.”

He, therefore, urged members of the public to continue to make available to the Police Command useful, timely and credible information by reporting to the nearest police station or by calling the following Command Control Room numbers: 08036684974, 08114895600 and 08025666914.

Operatives of the Special Assignment team of the Delta State Police Command have busted a criminal hideout of some suspected kidnappers/armed robbers who have been terrorising residents of the Abraka/Obiaruku/Umutu axis of the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Warri on Friday.

The statement noted that the feat followed an intelligence-led investigation carried out on the arrest of some suspected kidnappers on January 30, 2025.

According to the statement, operatives of the CP Special Assignment team led by ASP Julius Robinson “made a significant achievement when they stormed the hideouts on February 2, 2025 and busted the house of the fleeing gang leader named Emeka, surname unknown, at about 16:35 hours, located at Evwokenren Layout, off Ughelli road, Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area.

“During the raid, a fabricated semi-automatic Beretta pistol with four rounds of live ammunition, four locally made cut-to-size guns, 13 rounds of live cartridges, and a pair of military uniforms concealed in a black polythene bag were recovered,” the police spokesman affirmed.

The PPRO further disclosed that the suspect is in custody while a manhunt to arrest other members of his gang is ongoing.

In another development, on February 19, 2025, at about 4 pm, operatives of Safer 025 of Safer Highway Patrol, while conducting a stop and search on a commercial vehicle along the Agbor/Benin express road, arrested three suspects in possession of three locally made long guns and charms.

On interrogation, the suspects, namely, Buhari Bala, 28, Habibu Sale, 25, Abdulwahab Musa, 20, and Taisu Bala, 20, all male, claimed they were coming from Zaria, Kaduna State, and going to a bush close to Benin City called Igbogri community for a hunting expedition.

The police spokesman stated that the suspects are in custody just as the investigation is ongoing.

In an earlier development, on January 17, 2025, acting on a tip-off, the DPO Agbarho Division, CSP Pius Eredei, mobilised and led operatives to the apartment of one Eriga Enyuche, aged 40 years.

Upon search of his one-room apartment, one G-3 rifle and one pump-action gun were recovered from where they were hidden in the ceiling of the room.