Security operatives have arrested four suspected armed robbers in the Ajaokuta area of Kogi State in its efforts to rid the state of criminal elements and criminalities.
Also rescued were 10 kidnap victims, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said on Tuesday.
The kidnappers were said to have been terrorising the Ajaokuta area of the state for a while, committing so many crimes including kidnapping, rapping and robbery. This prompted the State Government to hire a private security outfit, Base SAN Security Nigeria Ltd to collaborate with the Police to ensure the arrest of the kidnappers.
Fanwo told journalists in Lokoja that the suspects were cooperating with investigators and that the rescued victims will be reunited with their families.
“We can confirm that the efforts of the Ododo Administration in engaging duly registered security outfits to work with conventional security agencies are already paying off,” he said.
“One of the engaged security outfit, Base SAN Security Nigeria Ltd has successfully worked with the Police to help in apprehending some kidnappers that had been terrorizing people in Ajaokuta and travellers along that road to other parts of the state.
“They acted on a credible intelligence and confronted the kidnappers numbering about four. The kidnappers were overpowered and arrested, leading to the rescue of ten victims in their custody.”
According to the commissioner, the state government is prepared to make Kogi State the safest in Nigeria.
“Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has promised to spare nothing to ensure that Kogi remains a safe place for everyone. We are too central to Nigeria to fail this country. The Governor is deploying every resource at his disposal to make sure the state is rid of criminal elements.
“The Ajaokuta breakthrough is a warning signal to criminals around the state that the present administration is prepared to make Kogi a safe place for all,” he stated.
Fanwo also hailed the Kogi State Police Command and Base SAN Security Nigeria Ltd for rising to the occasion to apprehend the gang terrorizing the Ajaokuta area of the state.
He noted that the state government will continue to support the security agencies in carrying out their duties of ensuring security of lives and property in the state.
