A file photo of IGP Mohammed Adamu. PHOTO: Channels TV/ Sodiq Adelakun

The police have arrested over 6,500 high-profile suspected kidnappers, robbers, and cultists among other criminals since the beginning of the year.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, revealed this at the end of the year conference with Strategic Police Managers held on Monday at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

He added that the police rescued more than 900 kidnapped victims and recovered thousands of arms and ammunition across the country withing the preriod.

“Between January 2019 to date, a total of 6,531 high-profile suspects were arrested in various police operations,” the police boss disclosed.

Giving a breakdown of the figure, he said, “This comprises of a total of 2,627 armed robbery suspects; 1,621 suspected cultists; 1,527 kidnapping suspects; and 758 murder suspects.

“Within the same period, we also recovered a total of 2,037 firearms of various calibre and descriptions; 21,870 ammunition; and 1,662 vehicles.”

“Similarly, 945 kidnapping victims were rescued in various police-led operations in the country,” he added.

Citizens’ Confidence Restored?

The IGP explained that the feat was achieved through the sacrifices of the personnel and the cooperation of the people.

In appreciation of the need to enhance the operational capacity of the police, he disclosed that they have acquired new sets of policing assets.

According to him, these comprise patrol vehicles, electronic surveillance vehicles, civil disorder management trucks and special operations vans.

Adamu added that the force has completed the Nigeria Police National Command and Control Centre (NPF-C4i) – the first phase of the Nigeria Police Crime and Incident Data Base (NPC & IDB) Centre projects.

He, however, acknowledged that the orientation of the Force was slow but steadily and positively altered while its operational capacity has been significantly enhanced.

The consequence, according to the police boss, is that citizens’ confidence in the police is being gradually restored.

“Our intelligence generation and utilisation capacity, as well as our operational competence have been significantly enhanced such that today, I can confidently confirm that we have succeeded in addressing the prevalent crimes we inherited as well as aided in the entrenchment of our democratic values,” he said.

The IGP added, “This is also evidenced by the successes we recorded in relation to emplacing and coordinating security during the 2019 General Elections and other off-season elections that were conducted in the year.

“It is also corroborated by the fact that our capacity to prevent crimes, disrupt highly organised and deadly criminal networks and apprehend high-profile felons has been strengthened, thereby engendering unprecedented volume of arrests and the phenomenal reduction in the rate of crime.”