The Nigeria Police Force has ramped up efforts to combat violent and organized crime across the country, leading to the neutralization of seven suspected terrorists and the recovery of 23 firearms alongside assorted ammunition.
In one of the recent operations, officers of the Kebbi State Police Command rescued a kidnapped victim and recovered ransom money from the assailants.
According to a statement by the Force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi, armed men stormed Gobiraje Village in Suru Local Government Area on February 14, abducting a 60-year-old man, Umaru Bawa.
Acting swiftly, officers tracked the suspects to Tundafari Forest in the Dakingari area, where they engaged them in a gun battle.
“Four of the kidnappers were neutralized, one was arrested with fatal injuries, and the victim was safely rescued,” the statement read. “We also recovered the sum of three million naira, which had been paid as ransom.”
Similarly, in Imo State, operatives dismantled an alleged stronghold of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network.
During an operation on February 8 in Ezioha Mbaitolu, police operatives, in collaboration with other security agencies, stormed a suspected terrorist camp, leading to the deaths of two alleged ESN kingpins and the seizure of a cache of weapons, including seven AK-47 rifles, 13 pump-action guns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The operation extended into February 9, when security forces intercepted another group of suspected militants in Nkwukwo Forest, Mbaitoli LGA, near the boundary with Ubachima Forest in Awomama, Oru West LGA. In the ensuing shootout, three more suspected kingpins were neutralized.
The police also recovered two AK-47 rifles, each loaded with 36 rounds of ammunition, a pump-action gun, four motorcycles, a cutlass, and various charms believed to be used by the criminals.
Commending the officers involved, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, reaffirmed the Force’s dedication to tackling crime and ensuring public safety.
“Thse operations demonstrate our resolve to rid the country of criminal elements threatening peace and security,” he stated. “We urge citizens to remain vigilant, provide timely information to security agencies, and work with us in our mission to maintain law and order.”
He further emphasized the importance of intelligence gathering and community policing, assuring Nigerians that law enforcement efforts would continue with renewed intensity.
