• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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IGP rolls out new counter-kidnapping strategies

Mohammed  Adamu

 Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed  Adamu, Thursday, rolled out new counter-kidnapping operational strategies, in continuation of the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force to end the current internal security challenges being experienced in various parts of the country, the Police have said.

The new strategies, which are purposeful and intelligence-driven, are targeted at identifying, locating and dismantling kidnapping gangs across the nation and bringing the kidnappers and their collaborators to justice, Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, said in a statement Thursday.

 “It is designed to complement and strengthen the ‘Operation Puff Adder’ currently going on in several States of the Federation,” the statement said.

 The operation will involve the deployment of undercover operatives, decoy operations and high-level tactical missions with active participation of operatives drawn from the conventional Police Units, the Force Intelligence Unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squads (SARS), the Special Anti-kidnapping Squads and the Police Tactical Units comprising the Police Mobile Force (PMF), the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and the Special Forces, it added.

Meanwhile, Police operatives from ‘Operation Puff Adder’ have rescued unhurt 27 kidnap victims including five Chinese nationals. The Chinese citizens, who were earlier kidnapped on 15th April, 2019 in Bobi, Niger State, were safely and successfully rescued on 5th of May, 2019 from a forest in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, following painstaking investigative efforts, including both air and ground surveillance.

Two of the kidnappers died from injuries sustained during exchange of gun fire with the Police in the course of the rescue mission. Twenty-two other kidnap victims were rescued in Zamfara State and other parts of the country, the statement said.

 In addition, between January 2019 and the first week of May, 2019, a total of 270 suspected kidnappers and 275 suspected armed robbers were arrested, while 105 assorted weapons plus a large cache of ammunition were recovered.

The IGP, while commending the general public for their understanding and supports so far, reassured the Nation that the end to violent crimes and other sundry criminal activities was in sight. He promised that the Force under his leadership would continue to work with other relevant stakeholders in the task of making Nigeria safer and better.

 

  Innocent Odoh, Abuja