The Katsina State Police Command says from January to June 2024, they have successfully rescued 516 abducted victims and arrested over 500 kidnapping suspects.
Speaking on behalf of the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Shehu S. Funtua, noted that around 300 banditry cases were reported and about 480 suspects charged in court.
According to the Commissioner, the command has recovered over 700 rounds of different calibers of live ammunition, alongside more than 2,500 suspected rustled animals. Additionally, a significant quantity of different types of illegal drugs and substances were recovered, along with two General-Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), ten AK-47 rifles, and one English pistol.
The Commissioner further stated that the command is currently facing security challenges, including kidnapping, cattle rustling, culpable homicide, rape, and other lesser crimes such as criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal trespass, theft, and mischief. However, the command has made remarkable progress in addressing these issues.
Within the year under review, the command arrested 1,423 suspects in connection with 1,134 reported cases, and over 700 cases have been charged to court. The arrests include 120 suspected armed robbers, 123 culpable homicide suspects, and 246 suspected rapists. The Commissioner emphasized that Katsina State is a strategic and cosmopolitan state in Northern Nigeria, sharing a border with the Niger Republic. The command has a structure of five area commands, 39 divisional headquarters, and one Mobile Police squadron operating in the state, namely, Mopol 27.
The Commissioner acknowledged the unwavering support of the IGP, both logistically and otherwise, which has been instrumental in driving the command’s successes. He also highlighted the command’s efforts in enhancing its infrastructure, including raising the height of the command’s perimeter fence, installing a new entrance gate, and restructuring and equipping the police Modern Hospital and POWA children’s school located at the police compound Barracks in Sabon Layi.
The Katsina Police Command’s achievements demonstrate its commitment to maintaining law and order, protecting the citizens, and creating a safer environment for the people of Katsina State.
During this period, police recovered eight AK-47 rifles, over 700 rounds of live ammunition, and 2,508 rustled animals linked to banditry, among others.