The Niger State Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmamman, has reassured residents of the state, particularly those in Minna, the state capital of calm saying “there is no cause for alarm.”
Danmamman’s reassurance came on the heels of reported pandemonium in Minna, following a free-for-all which erupted between artisenal miners and suspected hoodlums leading to the death of a Keke NAPEP operator around the MI Wushishi Estate road.
The CP made this known on Wednesday via a statement signed by the Niger State Police Command PRO Wasiu Abiodun over what he termed “a misinformation circulating in some online publications indicating that Minna residents were jittery over high crime rate.”
According to the statement, “It is important to state that the Police Command has over time emplaced different security measures in addressing challenges of crime in Minna metropolis and the state as whole, which has been very helpful and fruitful.
“Recently, there were incidents of illegal miners/artisans encroaching into the premises of M. I Wushishi Estate in Minna for illegal mining activities which led to a rancour, consequently, the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman mobilised tactical units such as Tactical Support Team (TST) and Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and raided the area where over 20 suspects, among the miscreants disturbing the Estate were arrested and prosecuted.
“Furthermore, he directed for constant patrol of the area by the Operation Flush patrol teams, and since then, constant police visibility has been intensified around the Estate. Therefore, it is not accurate to generalise that residents of Minna are grappling with high urban crimes,” Abiodun clarified.
The police further drove home its claims by announcing some of its recent achievements, indicating that the Niger State Command is committed to security of lives and property.
“To further clear this, these are some of the recent achievements of the Police in Minna which portray the level of commitment of the Police in the State. Just today, 20th November, 2024 at about 1000hrs, based on credible intelligence, Police operatives attached to Bosso Div recovered one fabricated revolver pistol with a baretta magazine and nine rounds of 9mm live ammunition which was concealed in a polythene bag along a narrow pathway at Tudun-Fulani area of Bosso, Minna.
“Earlier on 19th November, 2024 at about 2158hrs, information was received that some suspected robbers trespassed into a residence within Nubuta area of Chanchaga LGA, Police tactical teams were quickly mobilised to the area, but the miscreants took to their heels and escaped from the scene while the following exhibits were recovered, after they abandoned at the scene;
-One locally made automatic pistol
-Six rounds of 9mm live ammunition
-One blue Honda motorcycle
-A cutlass. Investigation of the incident is ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.
“Equally, on the same date, at about 0900hrs, information was also received that a Lexus GX vehicle with No ABC 431 BD was abandoned at a location within Lambata area. Police operatives of Gawu-Babangida Div moved to the area, and the vehicle was recovered to the Div. Investigation is also ongoing.
“With these, among other achievements, it shows that the Police are not resting on its oars in combating crime and criminality in the state, and the crime rate in the state has been at its lowest ebb as shown in the monthly crime statistics record of the Command,” Abiodun stated.
“The Commissioner of Police reassured members of the public, residents and Nigerlites that the Police would continue to live up to its statutory responsibility, saying the commitment and dedication to security of lives and property was sacrosanct,” he insisted.