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IG: How police destroyed weapons supply chain to bandits in Katsina
By Joseph Ayinde
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba, declared yesterday that the Nigeria Police had destroyed the weapons supply chain to bandits and criminal elements in Katsina State.
The IG, who spoke during an official visit to Katsina, said the disruption of the supply chain was evident in the interception and recovery of sophisticated weapons, including four General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), 37-AK47 rifles, 2-G3 rifles, 288 anti-aircraft ammunition and 118 AK47 ammunition.
This comes as kidnappers invaded an Abuja home and abducted a father and son.
The IG said the force made tremendous success in breaking the weapon supply chain to bandits and other criminal elements in the state.
He affirmed that the operational strategies being implemented by the force to stabilise security order across the country and improve public safety had begun to yield positive results.
A statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police, said within the past four months of the present administration, a total of 1,503 suspected high-profile criminals were arrested in connection with different violent crimes in the state, including kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, sexual and gender-based crimes among others.
The arrests include 267 suspected armed robbers, 304 suspected kidnappers and 97 bandits.
He stated that police operatives also successfully rescued 393 kidnap victims and had since reunited them with their families and communities.
The IG also commended the Katsina State Police Command for its efforts at crime-fighting. He gave the commendation during a one-day official visit to Katsina State as part of efforts to carry out on-the-spot security assessment in the state, mobilising members of the public and other credible stakeholders against crimes, boosting the confidence of police operatives in the command and providing the needed leadership for an onslaught against crimes and criminality.
The IG assured the nation that despite the harsh operational environment in which police officers operate, the force would continue to improve on the gains in the fight against crimes across the country.
He called on “parents and guardians, traditional rulers, political leaders and religious leaders and other critical stakeholders, to provide the necessary leadership, counseling, mentoring and support needed to guide citizens, particularly, our youths, out of the path of crime and criminality.”
The police chief assured the nation that despite the harsh operational environment in which police officers operate, the force would continue to improve on the gains in the fight against crimes across the country.
Meanwhile, kidnappers invaded an Abuja home and abducted a father and son.
The kidnappers reportedly abducted one Abdullahi Benda, and his 23-year-old son, Jibrin Abdullahi Benda.
The incident occurred at Yangoji village in Kwali Area Council of Abuja early yesterday.
A neighbour simply identified as Zakari said the kidnappers positioned themselves at strategic places, scaled the fence of the victim’s house, forcefully destroyed the doors, went into the room and whisked away the man and one of his sons at gunpoint.
“In fact, one of the kidnappers was even standing at a window at the back of my room shooting into the air, because it is a fence that separates us from the victim.
“The other members of the gang jumped over the fence and entered the house. They attempted whisking away the man’s wife, but they later spared her after discovering that she was nursing a baby, Zakari said.
Spokesman of the FCT Police Command, ASP Daniel Y. Ndiparya, confirmed the kidnap incident, saying the command was making efforts to ensure the kidnapped victims were rescued alive.
“Yes, we are aware and efforts are being made by the command to rescue the victims,” he said.
