IGP Adamu announces arrest of 1,151 notorious criminals, orders police to use tasers, stun guns

Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed A. Adamu, has announced the arrest of 1,151 high-profile criminals nationwide.

He also ordered the use of Taser or Stun Guns for low-risk police operations.

Adamu spoke on Thursday at the Conference of Senior Police Officers in Abuja.

The conference had in attendance police managers drawn from the 12 Zonal Police Commands, the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT.

He said: “Between August 2019 to date, a total of one thousand, one hundred and fifty-one (1,151) high profile suspects have been arrested nationwide. This includes four hundred and seventy (470) armed robbery suspects; two hundred and sixteen (216) kidnap suspects; three hundred and thirty-five (335) suspected cultists, and one hundred and thirty (130) murder suspects.

“Furthermore, two hundred and twenty-eight (228) firearms of various descriptions and calibre were recovered in various police operations across the country within the same period. Aside this, two hundred and thirty-one (231) kidnapped victims have been safely rescued and reunited with their families while seventy-five (75) stolen vehicles were also recovered from criminal elements.

“I am to note that there are still some security challenges which currently require our professional attention and which will constitute part of our discourse during this Conference. In this context, I encourage you all not to relent, but to roll up your sleeves with renewed vigour in the fight against crime in the country.

“The Nigeria Police under our watch, will not only continually emplace strategies that are potent enough to deal with the emerging trends of crime, we are determined to attain this mandate within the dictates of rule of law, uncompromising respect for human rights, and best global policing practices.

“It is in furtherance to this that I initiated actions towards the acquisition and deployment of electro-muscular disruption technology-based weaponry which is commonly known as Taser or Stun Guns for low-risk police operations. This is with the intention of addressing public concerns on misuse of firearms by the Police with its attendant consequences on lives and effect on the attainment of our community policing vision.

“In addition, special trainings are being organised for the Special Units of the Police including the Police Mobile Force, Special Forces, Counter-Terrorism Unit, Anti-Robbery detachments, Anti-Kidnapping Squads and the Criminal Investigation Operatives.

“In order to situate our vision in this regard to the standards of democratic policing, which is hinged on the protection of fundamental human rights, it is considered expedient that Force Order 237 which defines our Rules of Engagement (RoE) be reviewed, standardised and simplified.”