The Nigeria Police Force on Monday said a total number of 1,630 criminal incidences ranging from terrorism to secessionism, kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, and proliferation of firearms, were recorded in the five months between January and May, 2023.
The Force Headquarters further noted that a total of 3,619 suspects were arrested in connection to such criminal incidences, with 486 assorted firearms consisting of AK-47 rifles and locally fabricated automatic weapons were recovered, and 316 abducted victims rescued, within the same period.
These excludes electoral offences or crimes carried out, and arrests made in connection to the 2023 Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship, and States Houses of Assembly elections held between February and March.
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali-Baba, disclosed these during the June 2023 meeting of strategic police managers, held at Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
He noted that the conference was organised to assess the internal security situation within the country vis-à-vis the NPF’s policing mandate, and to disseminate some emerging strategic and policy-driven directives that will guide police operations towards policing Nigeria under the leadership of the new President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Tinubu.
Alkali-Baba said, “Available data and crime analysis between January and May, 2023, revealed that the internal security situation of the country is relatively calm and continues to improve with a decline in incidences of major crimes recorded across the six geopolitical zones.
“Excluding the electoral offences during the last electioneering in Nigeria, we recorded a total of 1,630 cases which cut across major offences such as terrorism, secessionism, kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, and proliferation of firearms.
“In addition, during various operations carried out by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force within the period being assessed, a total of 3,619 suspects were arrested for their participation in various crimes across the country.
“Three hundred and sixteen victims of kidnapping were rescued during the same period, while 486 assorted firearms consisting of AK-47 rifles and locally fabricated automatic weapons were recovered. Equally, 4,072 assorted calibers of live ammunition and other incriminating items linked to various major crimes were also recovered within the same period.”
While assuring citizens of the commitment of the NPF to a peaceful and serene civil space under his watch, the IG said the police will continue to leverage on the support of the Federal Government as it re-evaluates internal security dynamics and adapt its strategies towards ensuring that the current downward trend in crime across the country is sustained.
