The Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, has deployed 350 anti-riot policemen to Kogi State to stem rising cases of kidnapping and other violent crimes.
State Police Commissioner, Mr Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, told newsmen in Lokoja on Friday that the policemen were drafted from Abuja and other adjoining commands.
He said that a larger number of them had been deployed to “trouble spots across the state”, adding that the new offensive against criminals will soon start yielding results.
Ogunjemilusi assured residents that the police was doing its best to reduce criminal activities across the state and solicited for the support of the people to overcome the challenges.
According to him, the the crime situation in the state is still not too bad.
The police commissioner paraded some suspects including one persons alleged to be involved in the killing of two missionaries in Bassa Local Government area on April 7.
The missionaries , Mrs Lolo Alassan and Mr Gbenga Kekere were travelling to Bassa for a yearly outreach of the Lokoja Diocese of Anglican Church when the bus in which they were travelling was attcked.
Ogunjemilusi said that the suspect was arrested with one AK47 rifle and other dangerous weapons.
He also said that the police had rescued two of their officers abducted on May 25 at Alauja village in Ibaji Local Government.
The commissioner added that the service rifles of the abducted policemen were also recovered.
He said that seven suspected kidnapperes and five armed robbers were arrested by the police.
Ogunjemilusi said that the robbery suspects were apprehended in Kabba and Koton Karfe with 15 assorted rifles, an AK 47 , charms, axes , live cartridges and other weapons.
The commissioner disclosed that four of the suspects were involved in the snatching of a truck loaded with 900 bags of cement on Okene-Lokoja road .
According to him, all the cases are at various stages of investigations and the suspects will appear in court soon.
