Police arrest 247 suspects over banditry, kidnapping, culpable homicide in Niger in 2020

The Police Command in Niger said it had arrested about 247 suspects over banditry, kidnapping, culpable homicide and other crimes committed in different parts of the state in 2020.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Adamu Usman, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) in Minna on Monday.

Usman said that 284 major cases were reported in various police stations across the state during the year.
” We have diligently succeeded in charging 215 suspects out of the 247 arrested for committing various crimes before competent courts, while 32 suspects are under investigation.

” Ninety three cases of alleged culpable homicide were reported; 60 cases already charged to court, and 33 other cases are under investigation.

The command also said it had arrested 79 suspects for the same offence, that and 61 of them were charged to court, while 18 suspects were under investigation.

” Ninety-two cases of kidnapping were reported; 33 cases were charged to court and 59 cases are under investigation.

” Forty-four kidnapping suspects were arrested and charged to court , while 62 victims were rescued within the year under review.

“Forty-four cases of armed robbery were reported, out of which 39 cases have been charged to court and 5 cases are under investigation.

“The command has also succeeded in arresting 68 suspects over alleged armed robbery in different parts of the state and 61 of
them have been charged to court, while 7 suspects are still under investigation.

” Forty cases of rape were reported; 32 cases charged to court, and 8 under investigation, while 36 suspects were arrested for rape and other sexual offences, and all of them have been charged to court.

” Thirteen cases of unlawful possession of firearms were reported, 17 suspects arrested, 10 suspects charged to court and 7 others are under investigation,”the commissioner said.

” The command has recovered a total number of 80 arms and 1,535 ammunition, which includes; 6 AK-47, 2 AK-49, 27 magazines, 9 locally made pistols, 6 locally fabricated short guns, 27 single barrel dane guns, and 3 pump action rifles.

” Seven hundred and forty six live ammunition of 7.62mm, 19 live ammunition of 9mm, and 770 cartridges.

“Other weapons recovered are 28 cutlasses, 19 knives and 23 sticks,” he said.

The commissioner said that, already the command had mapped out a comprehensive security network to deal with any form of security threats in the state.

He urged residents of the state to volunteer reliable and credible information that could assist the officers deployed to fight criminal elements in the area.