The Rivers State Police Command will on Friday, August 1, 2014, inaugurate its ‘Operation Stop Kidnapping’ scheme as part of the measures put in place to stamp out kidnapping in the state.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the scheme will be launched with stakeholders on security issues at the State Police Officers’ Mess in Port Harcourt.
Ogunsakin disclosed that cases of abduction had gone down by 50 per cent while many victims had been rescued within the past one year.
He said, “With the measures put in place in Rivers State, cases of kidnapping have gone down by 50 per cent. We are not stopping at that as the command has also reinforced its Anti-Kidnapping Unit by establishing the units in Bori and other areas.
“The Command is doing its best to stop kidnapping. Kidnapping is a heinous crime; it is criminal. People should be able to go about their businesses without the fear of being kidnapped.”
He narrated how a boy, who was arrested by the police, conspired to kidnap his boss and disclosed that the sum of N4m was found in the suspect’s bank account.
He said, “We had a situation where a house boy conspired with kidnappers to abduct his boss. After interrogation, the sum of N4m was traced to the suspect’s bank account.
Ogunsakin explained that apart from making dedicated phone numbers available to members of the public in the state, the police command had reinforced its Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
He pointed out that the Command’s target was to reduce its response time in order to ensure that security operatives arrived early to arrest criminals at crime scenes.
“We urge members of the public to always make use of the Command’s Control Room number or any of the phone numbers of the police station within their area. Our target is to reduce our response time so that our men will not get to the crime scene when the criminals have left.”
Ogunsakin, however, warned those involved in kidnapping, cultism, armed robbery and other social vices to desist from such acts or be ready to face the wrath of the law when apprehended.
He expressed worry over the ongoing judiciary workers’ strike in the state and added that the situation had made it impossible for kidnap and armed robbery suspects to be tried in court.
