Bauchi
State Police Command has rescued 49 hostages, arrested over 50 criminals between
1st of
July to date and recovered arms, cash, stolen vehicles and
domestic animals. The suspects includes Thirty Five (35) suspected kidnappers,
Ten (12) armed robbery suspects, Five (5) cattle rustlers, one Police
impersonator etc.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) Halilu .A. Gwandu
disclosed this during a press conference on August 17th, to highlight the
achievement of the command. Below is the statement issued by the CP:
"Bauchi State as one of the State in North Eastern geopolitical zone is
confronted with numerous security challenges such as threat of Insurgency,
Kidnapping, Armed Banditry, Cattle Rustling, Rape and other manifestation of
violent crimes. The location of Balmo Forest in Darazo LGA, Buzum Forest in
Ganjuwa LGA, Yuga Forest in Toro LGA and Yankari Games Reserve in Alkaleri LGA
provided a cover for criminal elements who perpetrate heinous crimes. Recently
there has been upsurge in Kidnappings of locals in those areas for ransom after
which suspects hide inside the above mentioned forests which make it difficult
for the Law Enforcement agencies to apprehend them due to difficult terrain,
poor communication network and scattered settlements.
However, the proactive
step taken by the command through robust synergy with other security agencies,
Vigilante Groups and other stakeholders started yielding positive results and
the following achievements were recorded from 1st July, 2016 to date:
NO OF
ARMS RECOVERED:
Three AK 47 Rifles
One AK 49 Rifle
Ten Fabricated
Guns
Six Pistols
Toy Pistol
NO OF AMMUNITION RECOVERED:
303 Round
of Live Ammunition of 7.62mm
Six Rounds of 7.5m Live Ammunition
Seven
Cartridges
NO OF MOTOR VEHICLES RECOVERED: Four Motor Vehicles which
include:
One Dark Blue Toyota Highlander Jeep
One Honda Accord, Red in
colour 92 Model
One Dark green Honda Accord 96 Model with Reg. No
AA-941-KRF
One Toyota Corolla Sallon Car with Reg. No YGJ 133 AA,
One Red
Honda Civic with registration No ES-790-KRD Lagos
NO OF MOTORCYCLES
RECOVERED:
Eight Bajaj Motorcycles
One Jincheng Robber
Motorcycle
RECOVERED DOMESTIC ANIMALS:
One Hundred and Seventy One Cow
(171)
One Hundred and Thirty Three Sheep/Goats (133)
AMOUNT OF MONEY
RECOVERED:
Cash sum of One Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand Seven Hundred
and Seventy Naira only (#176,770).
Other exhibits recovered include three
Fabricated Master keys, Police Warrant Card, Complete Set of Police like
Uniform, Boots, Eleven Handsets, Six Machetes, Wrist Watch, eleven Photographs
of suspect in police like uniform etc.
Meanwhile, the command has rescued
Fourty Nine (49) hostages including the District Head of Tama in Toro LGA Alh.
Adamu Yakubu, arrested over Fifty (50) Suspects comprising of Thirty Five (35)
suspected kidnappers, Ten (12) Armed Robbery suspects, Five (5) Cattle Rustlers,
One Police Impersonator etc. Suspects have volunteered very useful information
to the Police regarding their nefarious activities and level of involvement,
Fourty Five (45) suspects were charged to Court while Twenty three others are
under investigations.
CONCLUSION: It is pertinent to emphasise here that
these aforementioned successes were made possible through information availed to
the Police from well meaning members of the public who as partners in progress
with the Nigeria Police share our desires and aspirations to enable a safe and
secure environment for all residents in the State.
Finally, the command has
put in place crime prevention measures which are mainly proactive based on
application of crime mapping considering different terrain/Topography of the
area. These strategies include, visibility policing, community partnership,
constant raids of black spots, moping up of arms and ammunition from vandals,
Bandits and Political Thugs. Raiding of Drug Barons, criminal dens and brothels.
Regular foot and vehicular patrols, surveillance on uncompleted buildings and
vulnerable areas, stop and search duties, creation of pin down points, manning
of KPs and VPs, guarding of critical infrastructures e.g. NNPC Pipelines,
Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS), all Communication Mast and other
public buildings etc.
Also, incompliance with the IGPs core value policing
agenda, that is intelligence led policing which is in conformity with the Global
base practice, the Command has plotted robust synergy with sister agencies with
a view to sharing intelligence to assist in combating crime. Equally, tremendous
effort are made in collaboration with all major stakeholders to get valuable
information which after evaluation can be used as actionable intelligence that
can assist in fighting crime in the state. The whole idea is to nip in the bud
these emergent trends of crime presently bedevilling the State due to influx of
suspected Cattle Rustlers, Kidnappers and Insurgents and other misguided
elements as a result of military operations on going in neighbouring North
Western States.
The Command assured members of the public that despite above
mentioned challenges, it is fully committed and battle ready towards ensuring
safety and security in the State. People should feel free to come forward with
any reasonable information and be rest assured that it will be treated with
outmost confidentiality.
More so, the command will continue to hold series
of stakeholders meetings to partner with members of the communities in order to
promote safety and security in the State.
