The Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, has recorded fresh operational successes in its nationwide campaign against kidnapping, banditry, arms trafficking and other violent crimes, with several arrests, the rescue of kidnapped victims, recovery of firearms, vehicles and stolen property, as well as intensified intelligence-led operations across multiple states.
In Imo State, police operatives foiled a kidnapping attempt after engaging the fleeing suspects in a gun duel. The operation led to the rescue of seven kidnapped victims without injury, while two vehicles belonging to the victims were recovered. The kidnappers escaped into nearby bushes under sustained police pressure.
Similarly, a joint security operation in Ondo State successfully thwarted a kidnapping attempt and rescued the intended victim unharmed. Security operatives recovered spent AK-47 ammunition shells from the scene as investigations continue to identify and apprehend the fleeing suspects.
In Bayelsa State, detectives arrested one suspect over the theft of government property valued at approximately ₦500 million. Police said efforts are ongoing to recover the stolen equipment and arrest other members of the criminal network involved in the high-value theft.
In Katsina State, police operatives frustrated a cattle rustling operation, forcing the bandits to retreat and abandon one motorcycle. In a related operation, officers arrested a suspected supplier of illicit drugs to bandits and recovered 500 tablets of suspected illicit substances.
Police in Gombe State also recorded a breakthrough with the arrest of a homicide suspect, while a Beretta pistol believed to have been abandoned by suspected criminals was recovered during the operation.
In Ekiti State, three suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing fertilizer, with eight bags of the stolen commodity recovered as exhibits. Investigations are ongoing to recover the remaining stolen items and apprehend other members of the syndicate.
In Kano State, police operatives, working alongside the Joint Task Force, foiled a cattle rustling operation and successfully recovered the rustled livestock, although the suspects fled before they could be arrested.
Meanwhile, intelligence-led policing in Sokoto State resulted in the arrest of a suspected bandits’ informant and financier. Officers recovered three SIM cards and two mobile phones believed to have been used in facilitating criminal activities.
In Akwa Ibom State, a suspect was arrested during a stop-and-search operation, leading to the recovery of a concealed double-barrel firearm.
The Police Force also sustained active operations in states where investigations and rescue missions remain underway. In Bauchi State, detectives launched digital tracking following the abduction of a young woman, with intelligence indicating that investigators are tracing the suspects towards neighbouring Yobe State.
In Niger State, police responded swiftly to separate kidnapping and banditry incidents, with rescue operations and the pursuit of kidnappers and cattle rustlers continuing.
Similarly, police authorities in Kwara, Kebbi and Nasarawa states have intensified search-and-rescue operations following separate kidnapping incidents, deploying tactical teams and local security partners to rescue victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
In Ogun State, police have commenced technical intelligence operations to track armed robbery suspects linked to multiple residential attacks, with investigations continuing to dismantle the criminal network.
The latest operational gains underscore the Nigeria Police Force’s sustained commitment under the leadership of IGP Olatunji Disu to strengthening intelligence-driven policing, dismantling criminal networks and enhancing public safety through coordinated security operations across the country.
