The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command arrested 992 dare-devil criminals in 2019, according to a statement by its Public Relations Officer, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, on Friday.
Giving a breakdown, he said 210 were armed robbery suspects; 29, kidnapping suspects; 77, one chance robbery/fraudster suspects; 86, car theft suspects; 42, drug peddling suspects; 35, cultism suspects; and 513 petty theft and housebreaking suspects.
Exhibits recovered by detectives of the Command, within the same period include, 81 firearms, 118 live ammunition, 60 stolen cars, cutlasses, daggers, knife, and housebreaking equipment, among others, the statement indicated.
The FCT Police Command said it was concerned about some negative reports on insecurity around Abuja, and reassured residents of adequate security and protection.
“Contrary to the impression being peddled in some misleading publications, the Command with the support of relevant stakeholders and community leaders in FCT has recorded huge successes in its renewed effort to combat and reduce crime to its barest minimum across the territory.
“Building on its successes for of 2019, the Command recently paraded 51 suspects arrested between December 27, 2019 to January, 2020 for armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, rape, culpable homicide, impersonation, etc. The exhibits paraded alongside the arrested suspects are: 10 firearms, 125 rounds of live ammunition, 12 cutlasses, one car, one Tricycle, 74 phones, etc.
“The proactive effort of the FCT Police Command and gallantry displayed by its personnel foiled a major attempt by some daredevil armed robbery suspects to rob a bank at Mpape on 28th December, 2019.
“The five suspects linked to the crime have been arrested, the investigation has also been concluded and the court has fixed 14th February, 2020 as the date for their arraignment at High Court 22 Wuse Zone 2.
“Some recent negative and exaggerated reports on insecurity in Abuja were aimed at belittling the laudable and obvious crime fighting successes recorded by the Command, in collaboration with well-meaning FCT residents.
“It is imperative to set the records straight by informing the public that the FCT Police Command in its effort to ensure the protection of lives and property and render quality service delivery to the public, after wide consultation with leaders of thought and relevant stakeholders, drew up a Policing plan, which guided its policing activities in 2019.
“The 2019 FCT Policing Plan, an initiative of the Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Bala Ciroma with support from the Nigeria Policing Plan (NPP) was designed to address the following crimes of concern, identified by the stakeholders: Drug Abuse, Theft/Housebreaking, One Chance Robbery, Armed Robbery, Car Theft, kidnapping, Cultism among others.
“Consequent upon the effort of the Command, five suspects credibly identified to be secret informants to kidnappers were arrested in Abaji in 2019, lending great support to the feat attained in addressing kidnapping in the axis.
“Despite the tremendous breakthroughs which have resulted in the arrests of suspects, dislodging of hideouts used for kidnapping, one chance robbery, and other criminal activities, the Police Command will not rest on its oars until criminal elements are flushed out of FCT.
“While the Command will always appreciate and respect the right of citizens to express their views through articles, citizens are enjoined to be objective in their reportage and carry out due diligence, by getting their facts right, before running to the press,” the statement read.