***Solicit public support
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
THE Nigeria Police, Kogi State Command arrested a total number of 239 suspects for various criminal offences in the last four months across the three Senatorial Districts of Kogi State.
The Commissioner of Police, Kogi Command, Miller Gajere Dantawaye, disclosed this during his maiden Press Briefing on the achievements recorded by the command in its ongoing onslaught against criminal elements terrorizing innocent citizens of Kogi state.
Dantawaye who assumed duty at Kogi State Command in January, 2025, noted that the Command had recorded some remarkable achievements in the ongoing onslaught against criminal elements from February to date.
Among the recorded successes, he said, are the recoveries of 5 AK-47 rifles, ammunition, magazines, and a green colored sharon vehicle, on 11th May 2025, following a report from the Unit Commander attached to Kogi State University, Kabba, ASP Adoga Sule.
Sule, according to him, had reported that at about 2010hrs, one green colored Sharon vehicle with Registration Number KUJ 265 BL approached their nipping point on high speed.
The driver, he said, refused to stop for search and ran over the barricade and was immediately given a hot pursuit, adding that when the driver noticed that the Police were trailing him, abandoned the vehicle and ran into the bush.
The Team cordoned the area and conducted a search on the abandoned vehicle where Five (5) AK-47 rifles, Eight (8) Magazines, 283 rounds of 7.62/39mm, 62 rounds of 5.56mm, 2 rounds of 7.62/59mm were recovered.
CP Dantawaye said that the vehicle has also been recovered with ongoing efforts to arrest the fleeing suspect adding that a lot of arms and ammunition were also recovered from the various crime scenes and criminals during the period.
He noted that the Command arrested a total of 239 suspects including 66 for armed robbery, 75 for kidnapping, 21 for unlawful possession of firearms, 18 for homicide, 6 cultism, 4 for Rape and 49 for involvement in various heinous crimes across the State.
Dantawaye attributed the achievements to the proactive strategies rooted in intelligence-led policing and robust interaction with the various stakeholders, particularly in the area of information sharing.
He said it has become obvious that security is all stakeholders’ affairs and therefore, solicited more cooperation from the people of Kogi State to provide credible and timely information to the Police.
The CP assured the people of the renewed commitment of the command to sustain the tempo of fight against criminality in Kogi State adding that the guarantee for protection of lives and properties remains unequivocal and unwavering.
Soliciting the support and cooperation of the public, Dantawaye said, “In the task of guaranteeing protection of lives and property of all citizens in this current security challenges, Nigeria Police has a critical role to play with specific regards to our internal security.
“Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to say that there is no Police Agency anywhere in the World, no matter how well trained, equipped or motivated, that can solely achieve its safety mandate without support from the Public.
“I therefore urge all Kogites, particularly Traditional rulers, Religious leaders, Opinion leaders, Youth groups, Market Bodies, Farmers, Herders, Vigilantes, Hunters, Transport union, Okada union, Tricycle union, among others, for their maximum support in the fight against criminality in Kogi State.” (Ends)