Over 2,300 arrested as police intensify nationwide crackdown on crime

The Nigeria Police Force has intensified its efforts to combat crime across the country, leading to the arrest of more than 2,300 suspects in a series of operations conducted from February 2025 to date.

A breakdown of the arrests reveals that 602 were apprehended for armed robbery, 385 for kidnapping, 557 for murder or homicide, 215 for unlawful possession of firearms, 286 for rape, and 276 suspected cultists.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, Force Public Relations Officer Muyiwa Adejobi highlighted the scale of the crackdown, emphasizing the recovery of significant amounts of firearms, ammunition, and stolen vehicles.

“Focusing on operations conducted from February 2025 to date, the Nigeria Police Force has made substantial progress in combating crime across the nation. Numerous arrests were made in connection with various heinous crimes,” Adejobi stated.

He provided further details on the police’s achievements, noting the recovery of 333 firearms, 6,422 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, and 200 stolen vehicles. Additionally, 324 kidnapped victims were successfully rescued during these operations.

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Adejobi added, “On display in today’s briefing are several exhibits connected to these crimes, including 89 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, six AK-47 rifles, one AK-49 rifle, one Israeli pump-action rifle, two pump-action rifles, and one single-barrel rifle.”

Among the significant breakthroughs, Adejobi highlighted the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers at the Kogi-Edo border.

The suspects, identified as Tukur Salisu, Sani Abubakar, Mamud Sani, Umar Abdullahi, Salisu Mohammed, Salisu Usman, Bashir Audu, and Jibril Haruna, were taken into custody following a violent confrontation with police operatives.

“On 11/3/2025 at about 1830hrs, operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) en route to Edo State on special duty at Oshara Ganden, a boundary between Kogi and Edo states, ran into an ambush by kidnappers,” Adejobi explained.

“The operatives employed their operational prowess to overpower the armed-to-the-teeth kidnappers, arrested eight of them, and recovered from them one AK-47 rifle with 29 rounds of ammunition, one new Israeli pump-action rifle with four rounds of cartridges, two pump-action rifles with seven rounds of cartridges, a single-barrel rifle with two cartridges, and two operational motorcycles.”

The police assured Nigerians that the nationwide operations would continue as part of their commitment to ensuring security and reducing criminal activity.

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