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SARS disbandment created vacuum in tackling criminality – IGP
Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alkali Usman, says the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has created a vacuum in the effort of the police to tackle criminality in the country.
He stated this at the Presidential Villa on Thursday during a briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team.
He also said that the aftermath of the #EndSARS protest dampened the morale of the personnel of the force.
According to the police boss, the regular policemen and women have not been able to immediately fill the vacuum created by the SARS disbandment even though efforts are ongoing to train them for the new role.
Usman said that the police had recorded successes against secessionists and criminals in the South-East but they could not be prosecuted and brought to justice because of the ongoing strike by judiciary workers.
On the plan to recruit 10,000 new police personnel, he said the process had reached 70 per cent, stressing that the exercise would stick to the federal character principle.
Speaking on the effort to check insecurity in zones, he said, “The security situation of the country has been significantly stabilised from time to time. But you see, if it is stabilised for a week, then there are isolated disturbances coming from this zone in terms of either attack on police facilities or police personnel or even all law enforcement agencies including the military.
“And therefore, we decided to one, ‘rejig’ the morale of our personnel, which has been a little bit dampened since the #EndSARS came and went away.
“With the proscription of SARS and the establishment of SWAT which has not been able to take off fully, we had a vacuum in tackling most of the violent crime from a position of strength in terms of having a strike force that is dedicated for that, rather than having our conventional police doing the policing in a conventional way.
“So, therefore, we try to marshal back this courage of our personnel who have been involved in violent crimes and they lecture them and posted them to the anti-robbery sections, for anti-robbery patrols and the investigation of violent-related crime which involved of course robbery, kidnapping, banditry, and cultism.
“Secondly, we decided to launch an operation which is tagged Operation Restore Peace and we targeted the South-East and South-South for the first phase of our operation.”
The acting IGP disclosed that the South-East and South-South zones had been reinforced with about 3,700 police personnel to tackle insecurity in the regions, which led to the recent launch of Operation Restore Peace.
He said, “We involved reinforcing these two zones with a total number of about 3,700 policemen drawn from our various units which include, police mobile force, the strike force, counterterrorism, the STS, IRT and these commands were imposed with this personnel with specific instructions, with an operation order that is targeted at stabilising the incessant attacks on police facilities, personnel, military and other violent crimes.
“The first operation in the South-East was done on the 18th of this month (May) in Enugu and we clearly stated our mission. We clearly stated our vision. And the six states in the South-East geopolitical zone came to Enugu.
“All the governors were represented by the deputy governors except one of Enugu, who personally participated. And we launched the operation.”
Usman disclosed that a total of 1,176 high profile criminals were arrested by the police from April 7, 2021 to date with a number of arms and ammunition recovered.
He said: “For record purpose, I can briefly mention our recoveries and the successes. They go as follows: in terms of recovery after the launching of this operation, we’ve been able to recover the following weapons and arms from secessionist and the armed insurgents.
“One general-purpose machine gun, 10 AK-47 rifles, nine locally-made fabricated rifles, four locally-fabricated pistols in 19 AK-47 magazines.
“We have recovered over 5,419 live ammunition with 10 improvised explosive devices.
“In terms of arrest, we have 398 armed robbery suspects in our custody, 258 cult-related offenders, 222 murder suspects, 202 bandits related matters and the 86 suspects involved in case of kidnapping.”
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Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship
Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has successfully apprehended 19 individuals attempting to stow away on Europe-bound vessels.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Lagos, the ship’s Information Officer, Lt. Hussaini Ibrahim, disclosed that 15 stowaways were intercepted on Dec. 19 aboard the European-bound Moto Tanker (MT) KRITI RUBY. Another four were caught on Dec. 21 aboard MT MCC YANBU.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the stowaways boarded the vessels at night and concealed themselves in the rudder compartment while attempting to illegally migrate to Europe,” Ibrahim stated.
The Navy’s Quick Response Team (QRT), operating from ATLAS COVE and using the Falcon Eye Alignment under the Nigerian Navy Maritime Domain Awareness Facility, facilitated the interception of the 15 individuals near the Lagos fairway buoy.
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Ibrahim further explained that credible intelligence led to the interception of the additional four stowaways by Navy personnel deployed on escort duties aboard the vessel.
“The prompt response of the QRT saved the stowaways from exposure to life-threatening situations during the long voyage,” he added.
The first group of 15 individuals has been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Port/Marine Command, Apapa, for further investigation and necessary action. The remaining four suspects will also be transferred in due course.
“The presence of stowaways poses serious security threats to maritime operations, including risks of smuggling, piracy, drug and human trafficking, among other maritime crimes,” Ibrahim noted.
He emphasized that under the leadership of Chief of Naval Staff Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, NNS BEECROFT will continue maintaining security along Lagos waterways and surrounding creeks to support safe maritime activities and economic growth.
Navy arrests 19 Nigerians attempting to reach Europe by hiding on ship
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Troops arrest four Ambazonian rebels in Taraba
Troops arrest four Ambazonian rebels in Taraba
Troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 of the Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), have arrested four suspected members of Ambazonian rebels in Taraba.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ambazonia is a rebel group operating in neighbouring Cameroon Republic.
A statement on Saturday in Jalingo by Capt. Olubodunde Oni, Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations, said the suspects were arrested at a hotel in Takum town.
The statement said that acting on credible intelligence, the suspects were tracked and apprehended.
According to the statement, during initial interrogation, the suspects confessed to being part of the rebel group involved in arms proliferation in exchange for cocoa with their Nigerian collaborators.
It said that four mobile handsets were recovered from the suspects now in detention undergoing further investigation.
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The statement also said that in another operation following actionable intelligence, troops deployed at Natilde community in Bantaji District of Wukari Local Government Area intercepted a truck with registration number WKR 66 BB, transporting 19 pieces of stolen pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
It said that further collaborative efforts with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Wukari Division led to the recovery of an additional 11 pipes, bringing the total to 30.
“The recovered items have been handed over to the NSCDC Wukari Division for further investigation and necessary action.
“The 6 Brigade Nigerian Army will remain resolute in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property while ensuring the security of critical national infrastructure.
“We urge members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies to enhance our collective efforts in maintaining peace and security,” the statement added.
Troops arrest four Ambazonian rebels in Taraba
(NAN)
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NIMC warns against extortion, reaffirms free NIN enrollment
NIMC warns against extortion, reaffirms free NIN enrollment
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has issued a stern warning to the public, reiterating that enrollment for the National Identification Number (NIN) is entirely free of charge. The Commission emphasized that it neither charges nor authorizes its staff or Front End Partners (FEPs) to demand payment for NIN registration.
In a statement released on Friday by Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, NIMC reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy for extortion and pledged to take decisive action against offenders. To ensure compliance, the Commission has directed security agencies to identify and prosecute any staff or FEPs involved in such illegal activities.
“Anyone caught engaging in extortion will face sanctions in line with the provisions of the law, including the withdrawal of licenses for culpable FEPs,” the statement read.
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- NNPC denies claim of Port Harcourt refinery shutdown
- Like Ibadan, stampede claim 10 lives for Abuja Catholic church, 17 in Anambra
- Marketers react after NNPCL slashes petrol price to N899 per litre
NIMC also urged the public to report any cases of extortion. Complaints can be sent via email to [email protected] or by calling 0700-2255-646. The Commission assured Nigerians that all reports would be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate measures would be taken to address any violations.
Reaffirming its commitment to efficient and transparent service delivery, NIMC pledged to provide seamless and hassle-free enrollment processes for all Nigerians. The Commission expressed its determination to eliminate corruption and protect citizens from exploitation during NIN registration.
This announcement is a clear signal of NIMC’s dedication to upholding integrity and ensuring that the NIN enrollment process remains accessible and free for all. Nigerians are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any attempts at extortion to help maintain the credibility of the system.
NIMC warns against extortion, reaffirms free NIN enrollment
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