By Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz, Yola
The Adamawa State Police Command, on Thursday, paraded 23 suspected kidnappers who have been wreaking havoc on innocent people across the state.
The Police also said it recovered assorted weapons from the suspects, and these include:three AK 47 rifles, one fabricated SMG rifle, two single barrel guns, 468 rounds of live ammunition, and 25 cartridges.
During his maiden press conference in Yola, the state capital, new Commissioner of Police for the state, Mr. Olubenga Adeyanju, informed that nine of the criminals were apprehended in April 2020 after they kidnapped two residents of Gombi Local Government Area, and collected N4.5 million ransom.
Adeyanju added that six out of the suspects were apprehended for their involvement in violent crimes, including kidnap for ransom in Ganye local government of the state
The new Commissioner of Police noted that the remaining eight suspects, all residents of Hong Local Government Area, were arrested after threatening to kidnap three residents of the area whom they asked to produce N3 million in lieu of their freedom.
Adeyanju promised to ensure diligent prosecution of all the cases just as he assured residents that the remaining members of the criminals’ gangs currently at large will be brought to justice.
The Commissioner of Police also promised to enhance community policing and reduce the mutual suspicion between the police and the public as they need each other to succeed.
“Members of the public are our partners in crime-fighting,” he said. “The command will synergize and cooperate with both state and non-state actors to form a common formidable frontier against crime and criminality in Adamawa State.
”The police cannot achieve much without the support of the community through information sharing, logistics support, adherence to laws of the country, etc.
”Some of our strategies in enhancing community policing is the intensification of both vehicular and foot patrols, outreach in schools, religious centers, markets, motor parks, etc.
”These will take us closer to the public and public closer to us and this, in turn, will put an end to mutual suspicion, exploitation, and corruption between the police and the public.
”We will also encourage constructive engagements between local communities and cattle herders to foster mutual understanding and nip in the bud any possible,” he said.
