Acting IGP, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu“Generally-speaking, the security situation across the country has been stabilized. However, there are isolated cases of kidnapping and armed robbery in the South West, particularly, along Benin-Ore-Lagos Highway and across Ondo State.”
This was the verdict of the nation’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu today, September 2 at the ongoing Southwest geopolitical zone Security Summit in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The IGP stressed that the current concerted operations of the Police and other security agencies across the country, particularly, along the Niger-Kogi-FCT-Kaduna-Katsina and Zamfara areas have engendered a dispersal and re-location of some of the criminals to new localities, including the South West.
“In response to this emerging trend, we have been evaluating and re-evaluating our operational strategies while strengthening our institutional capacity in relation to the generation of actionable intelligence and the conduct of special operations directed at proactively responding to criminal situations across the country. I am delighted to note that ‘Operation Puff Adder’ which we launched as a strategy to stabilize the security profile in the country and other strategies that we have emplaced since January 2019 have so far been a success story.
“In consequence, between January – August 2019, a total of 552 murder suspects were arrested with 66 such arrests effected in the South West. Similarly, 2,015 armed robbery suspects were arrested with 363 of the figure arrested in the South West, while 1,154 kidnapping suspects were also apprehended in various operations. 147 of these were arrested in the South West. Furthermore, 1,183 suspected cultists have also been arrested with 425 of this figure apprehended in the South Western States.
“In relation to recoveries, 1,356 firearms of various calibre and descriptions were recovered in various intelligence-led operations by the Police with 277 of such recoveries made in the South Western part of the country. Similarly, 21,300 ammunition of various descriptions and calibre were recovered in various intelligence-led operations with the highest number of 5, 270 ammunition recovered from criminal syndicates in the South West including about 2,700 ammunition recovered in June, 2019 from a cross-border arms smuggling syndicate in Oyo State. “Furthermore, 1,541 stolen vehicles were recovered with 482 of such recoveries achieved in the South West while a total of 837 kidnapping victim were rescued with 106 of such rescues achieved in the South West.
“The point being highlighted from these statistics is that the Nigeria Police in recent months have developed capacity and demonstrated the requisite professional zeal such that today, we can confidently say that we have the institutional capability not only for preventive actions, but for responding effectively to any crime situation or threat with a view to locating and apprehending the criminal elements and disrupting their criminal enterprises across the country. It is this process that we call on you as strategic security stakeholders in the South West to support us in strengthening and advancing in the interest of our communal and internal security.
“Having succeeded in using ‘Operation Puff Adder’ as an operational vehicle to stabilize the public security space, we are currently moving to the next phase of our strategic policing plans which is woven around two key actions. First is the launch of the Community Policing Strategy and the second is the expansion and strengthening of ‘Operation Puff Adder’ with other complementary strategies.
“Within this perspective and in relation to the South West Geopolitical Zone, we shall soon relaunch the ‘Safer Highway’ Motorised Patrol Scheme as well as the ‘Safer City’ Scheme. We have since purchased new fleet of patrol vans to be deployed across our highways and cities. This will also involve the deployment of cutting-edge CCTV technology for surveillance functions across the highways and vulnerable locations in our communities in the Zone and other parts of the country.
“In addition, a special operation is underway across the South West geopolitical Zone. The operation will specifically address the threat of kidnapping and armed robbery on the highways and other locations. While for operational reasons, I would not offer the details into the operation, I am in this Summit with the Commissioner of Police who will command the special operation to complement the efforts of the Police Commissioners in the States within the Zone.”
The police boss said that in order to give full effect to the Community Policing Vision as a pathway towards bridging security gaps, the Force will soon commence the implementation of the strategy in the South West and other parts of the country.
“Hopefully, the breakdown of the Community Policing deployment plan will cover the recruitment of a total of forty thousand (40,000) Community Police Officers (CPOs) across the country.
“The CPOs will be recruited from within the communities where the prospective applicants reside and an average of fifty (50) CPOs are to be engaged in each of the 774 Local Government Areas. In addition, one thousand (1,300) CPOs will be drawn from professional bodies like the academics, Road Transport Unions, Artisans, Traders Associations, Religious Bodies, Women Unions, and Youth Organisations among others in order to ensure diverse representation.
“In relation to the South West, the CPOs shall be deployed to complement the Police in law enforcement functions within their localities by performing low-risk and non-sensitive policing functions. They will also act as liaisons between the Police and their communities. This policing architecture will free-up conventional police personnel that hitherto perform such functions and enhance our manpower profile in relation to deployment to frontline, operational duties in the South West and across the country.
“When fully implemented, the Community Policing Strategy will bridge the gap between the Police and the citizens in a manner that will enhance optimal, cost-effective, and sustainable law enforcement service delivery by the Police.
“It is anticipated that in the course of this Summit, your inputs, experiences, and opinions shall aid us to further perfect our operational plans. On our part, I can assure of our determination to continue to maximally deploy all our resources and unique capabilities towards mitigating crimes and addressing fear of crime across the South West. In this regard, however, I wish to appeal that we avoid analyzing the situation from a pedantic, narrow, and sentimental perspective.
“We should, avoid ethnic profiling and colouration of the situation as crime is not defined by ethnic background but by individual’s disposition and intents. Hence, we should appreciate that a crime is a threat to all groups and could be perpetrated by any individual or group.
“The key factor is that we should as a people, be determined to build a consensus and partner in condemning any act of criminality and resolving to work with the Police towards identifying, isolating and bringing the criminal elements within our communities to deserved justice regardless of their status, background, creed or gender. Doing otherwise will present a faulty and prejudiced foundation for us in correctly dissecting the trend and in evolving appropriate mitigating strategy.”
