National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
Olabode Adaramola
The Police in Niger state have said that part of the successes recorded in its special operations on Armed Bandits in parts of the state in the first quarter of the year is the arrest of 306 sundry suspects and the recovery of 11 AK 47 rifles with 982 rounds of live ammunition.
It also listed the recovery of 33 Single Barrel Guns with 249 Cartridges, one Sub Machine Gun, Five locally made Pistols, two Revolver Pistols, Six made in Ghana Pistols, two Double Barrel guns, Nine Dane guns and recovery of 1,561 Cattle and 86 Sheep among others.
The state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Zubairu Muazu stated this last Wednesday at the meeting of the state Police Command with the Eminent Persons which included representatives of the state Council of Traditional Rulers among which was the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the Emir of Suleja, Malkam Awwal Ibrahim, Emir of Kagara, Emir of Kontagora, Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouk Bahago, Emir of Lapai Emir of Agaie and Emir of Borgu respectively.
Also in attendance at the meeting was the Chairman, Niger state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Dr. Mathias Echioda and the Chairman of the state chapter of League of Imaams, President, National Youth Council of Nigeria, representatives of Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders association of Nigeria, representatives of Private Schools Proprietors, business men and women among others.
The Commissioner of Police stated further that prior to the arrests of the suspects and recoveries of the dangerous weapons and live stocks, that a comprehensive crime mapping and analysis of the entire state were usually carried out by the Command with a view to identifying prevalent crimes, crime patterns and concentration.
He disclosed further that the crime mapping and analysis helped the Command to identify which criminals were active,which criminals were linked and where problems were likely to occur, while major crimes identified from the crime mapping included cattle rustling and armed robbery , kidnapping for ransom, culpable homicide , youth restiveness& Gangsterism and rape.
At the meeting held at the state Police Command’s Officers Mess, Minna, Zuberu Muazu identified Borgu National Games Reserve between Kainji and New Busa with a land size of 534,082 Hectares, Zugurma /IBBI Game reserve in Mashegu area of the state, Gurara Water Falls between Gurara/ Paikoro and Munya local government and Kamoku forest between Rafi/ Shiroro/ Munya with a land size of 112, 700 Hectares as crime prone areas of the state.
He also mentioned Baro/ Muye forest, in Agaie and Lapai Local Governments including Alawa forest in Shiroro local government with a land size of 29,624 hectares as well as Kambari forest between Magama/Rijau/ Bangi areas of the state with a land size of 41, 400 hectares as other potent crime prone areas of the state.
He said part of the anti-crime strategies being adopted by the Command is the consultation with eminent persons across the state , adoption of problem solving policing, setting up of Special Anti Kidnapping Police patrol teams, motorcycles patrol and foot patrol.
