The Nigeria Police Force announced that its officers in various states have apprehended at least 22 individuals involved in armed robbery, kidnapping, cult activities, and other criminal behaviors aimed at those celebrating Christmas. This information was shared by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement released to the media on Friday. The statement noted that the arrests took place around 1 a.m. On Christmas Day, police officers from the Lagos State Command received an emergency call about a group of armed hoodlums operating in the Safejo area of Amukoko, Lagos State. The prompt response by the police led to the arrest of three suspects: Emmanuel Okoli, Ogunde Tejiri, and Emmanuel Orji. The Force PRO reported that the weapons used by the suspects during their robbery attacks on innocent individuals in the area were recovered. He mentioned that police have increased their efforts to capture the gang members who managed to escape. In a related incident, police officers from the Saminaka Division of the Kaduna State Command were active around 8 p.m. On the same day, authorities successfully apprehended Sule Muhammad, who has been involved in several kidnapping cases in the Saminaka area. The police noted that further investigations resulted in the recovery of a fake AK-47 rifle from the suspect. Muhammad admitted to being part of a notorious kidnapping gang that had been on the run since the arrest of other gang members on August 16, 2024, until his capture on December 25, 2024. Thanks to Muhammad’s cooperation, efforts are underway to apprehend additional gang members and recover more weapons and ammunition from their identified hideout. The commendable work of the Nigeria Police has also been evident in states like Delta, Ogun, Katsina, Benue, FCT, and Imo, where several suspects were arrested at different locations during the Christmas period. The IGP praised the officers for their vigilance and commitment to public safety, recognizing their exceptional dedication to protecting communities, especially during this festive time. The IGP also encouraged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious activities to the authorities, as stated in the announcement.
