ABUJA, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has captured 170 suspected highway kidnappers operating across the West African nation in recent operations carried out since April, a top officer said Friday.
The suspects are behind kidnapping and armed robbery cases across Nigeria, Mohammed Adamu, the country's police chief said at a meeting with top police officers in Abuja, the nation's capital.
Adamu said national crime profile of the country from April 1 to date indicated a significant increase in the arrest of offenders and recovery of firearms.
Kaduna state recorded the highest with 18 suspects, followed by Plateau with 17, he added, noting that 218 armed robbery suspects were arrested at various commands within the period, 57 were arrested in the first week of May.
According to him, 147 firearms of various makes were recovered in the month under review while 50 were recorded in the first week of May.
Statistics show that the police are winning the fight against crime and criminality in the country, the police chief added.
The police chief said the data also showed that the rate of arrest of offenders and recovery of firearms connected with crimes had been on steady increase.
He urged strategic security managers to build on the solid foundation already laid with the launch of "Operation Puff Adder" to strengthen security and crime management.
Adamu said the "Safer Highway Motorized" patrol scheme would be resuscitated to complement the efforts of various police commands.
He called on the police chiefs to return to their various commands with renewed vigor and to redouble their efforts toward tackling kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry.
