By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
While assuring of the Kaduna State Police Command’s resolve to serving with everything within their capacity to totally extricate the state from the grip of criminal elements, the Commissioner of Police, CP Yekini Ayoku has revealed that 780 suspects were arrested in 2022 for various crimes.
CP Ayoku disclosed this at the end of year briefing of the command, held on Wednesday December 28, 2022 at the commands headquarters.
According to him, the combined effects of the measures taken, led the Command to record remarkable achievements in its fight against crimes such as armed robbery/banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling among others.
“A summary of arrest, recoveries and other achievements between January – December, 2022 is given hereunder as follows:-
(i). Seven Hundred and Eighty (780) suspects were arrested in connection with various forms of crimes.
(ii). A total number of One Hundred and Sixteen (116) suspects were convicted.
(iii). Two Hundred and Six (206) Kidnapped Victims were rescued.
(iv). Forty-nine (49) Rifles/Guns were recovered.
(v). One Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty-nine (1,359) rounds of live ammunition were recovered.
(vi). Seventeen (17) Bandits’ Operational Motor Cycles were recovered.
(vii). Twenty-One (21) Armed Bandits were neutralized.
(viii). One Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty-six (1,446) rustled livestock were recovered at different parts of the State.
(ix). Fifteen (15) bags of dry leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp” he said.
According to CP Ayoku, the outgoing year 2022 witnessed the commencement of political activities as the nation prepares for the 2023 general elections.
“The different political parties had their party primaries to elect candidates for the various elective offices. Campaigns, you will recall, officially kicked off on 28th September, 2022 in line with INEC guidelines and Kaduna has had its own fair share of rallies, processions and campaigns by the various political parties seeking the votes of the electorates which have been peaceful. Being the lead agency in election security management, the Police Command has been keeping tabs and closely monitoring activities in the political arena.
“I have had two (2) engagement meetings with stakeholders in the political process towards ensuring seamless, peaceful and hitch-free electioneering activities in the State. In the course of these engagements, it was re-iterated to political actors in clear unmistakable terms that the political game has to be played strictly by the rules,” he said.
According to him, the need for political parties, office seekers and their supporters to conform with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC guidelines was re-emphasised.
“Let me exploit this opportunity to reecho my warnings to our politicians to avoid actions and conducts that are contrary to extant laws guiding the electoral process as nobody will be spared in our determination to enforce the laws.
“The Police, leading other security agencies under the auspices of ICCES of which I am the co-chair, will police and secure the electoral process in a very professional, unbiased and impartial manner and will give robust support to INEC to deliver free, fair and credible elections come 2023.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I acknowledge specially the robust support that the Command has enjoyed from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, the DSS, NSCDC and other security and safety agencies in the state.
“I want to assure that we shall work to enhance the existing strong interagency synergy and collaboration towards maximizing our strength and capacities for effective onslaught against criminal elements in the State.
“I equally applaud the loyalty and support for my leadership by my Deputy Commissioners, members of the Command Management Team, Officers and other ranks of the Command and urge all to remain steadfast, committed and dedicated to our statutory mandate of securing the public space and exhibit professionalism in service delivery.
“Our friends in the media, we appreciate your strategic partnership as you made our job a lot easier by your balanced reportage and wide coverage given to our activities.
“The feedbacks we get from your reports have helped in no small measure in identifying our area of weaknesses while building on our strengths as we continually strive to improve on our performances.
“I am confident that as patriots, you will always take the overriding state security interest into consideration in the manner incidents are reported and headlined.
” I thank our revered Royal Fathers ably led by the Emir of Zazzau HRH. Amb. Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli cfr, every citizen and resident of this State for the cooperation and invaluable support the Police and other agencies have continued to receive. I ask for more of this public support as everyone has a stake in the security of our communities.
“The Command under my watch is ever determined to serve with everything within our capacity to totally extricate the state from the grip of criminal elements and all hands must continually be on deck to achieve this,” he said.
He explained that the briefing for the end of year 2022 is aimed at sharing with the media and by extension the general public, the Command’s activities in executing its mandate of law and order maintenance and safeguarding lives and property in the State under my stewardship.
“Let me begin by expressing my profound gratitude and appreciation to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, NEAPS, fdc, cfr, for finding me worthy to command this Command as the 40th Commissioner of Police in the state and importantly for his continued strong and pivotal support and operational guidance to the Command at every juncture in addressing the security challenges that confront the state.
“My equal profuse appreciation goes to the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, con, for his strong leadership as a Security Passionate Governor and his constant logistical support and interventions in aid of the Command’s operational activities in fighting crimes and criminality in the State.
“Upon assumption of duty as the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State on 8th April, 2022, which was on the heels of the incident of train attack of 28th March, 2022 between Dutse Village – Rijana along Abuja – Kaduna rail track and the earlier security breach within the Kaduna International Airport general area, the need for urgent safeguard of commuters/road users especially along Kaduna – Abuja expressway in the absence of a functional rail and commercial air operation was considered paramount and imperative.
“With these challenges met on ground, there was thus no time to spare and I had to immediately and swiftly review and rejig existing architecture, crime map the state, re-strategize and mobilise all operational, tactical and intelligence resources and deploy same massively cognisant of the crimes prevalent in the different areas of the state.
“For obvious reasons as stated earlier, Abuja – Kaduna highway was prioritised with heavy motorised and static patrols complemented by military backup and aerial patrol and surveillance from the Force Headquarters.
“The objective was to keep the road open and safe for travellers being, as at that time, the only major means of accessing Kaduna and other North-Western states from Abuja and the southern part of the country.
“This objective was achieved as throughout the period under review, the command was able to minimize any form of security breach/threat on the highway through the stated upgrade in visibility policing and prompt response to distress calls.
“While checkmating attacks and ensuring safety on all major connecting highways, the command’s inner city patrols and crime prevention and control operations aimed at combating criminal activities within our various cities and communities were equally intensified.
“The seven (7) Area Commands and sixty-one (61) Divisions were specifically tasked to leverage Community Policing Strategy by strengthening Police-Community Partnership in discharging their constitutional mandate of ensuring public safety and security in their respective areas of responsibility,” he said.
