ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Nigeria Police Force in Enugu State says it arrested 5,895 suspects for various crimes and rescued 168 kidnapped victims within the past one year.
The Commissioner of Police, Mammon Bitrus Giwa, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing marking his one year in office at the command headquarters in Enugu.
Giwa, who assumed duty on March 11, 2025, said the command adopted proactive and intelligence-driven policing which has significantly reduced violent crimes across the state.
According to him, the strategy has yielded multiple operational successes including arrests of kidnapping gangs, armed robbers, cultists and drug traffickers.
The police boss disclosed that several kidnapping gangs were dismantled through coordinated operations involving security agencies and community security groups.
READ ALSO Enugu Police Arrest Three, Recover Firearms, Hard Drugs
He cited a March 6, 2026 operation in Efeche Forest in Ette community, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, where operatives working with soldiers, forest guards and neighbourhood watch personnel rescued 12 kidnapped victims.
Three suspects were later arrested in follow-up operations after being identified by the victims.
Recovered items included: one pump-action gun, one locally fabricated revolver, one live cartridge, Military camouflage hat, two bulletproof jackets, food items and cooking materials used by the gang
In another operation on February 27, 2026, police operatives from Unity Division arrested five suspected kidnappers along the Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka Road in Ogbeke-Nike.
The suspects allegedly confessed to multiple kidnappings and robberies in the area.
Officers recovered a locally fabricated revolver, a cutlass and two daggers.
READ ALSO Enugu Police Arrest Eight, Recover Eight Stolen Vehicles
Giwa also recalled a January 29, 2026 bush-combing operation in the Agushere and Okpakereke forests bordering Benue State following the abduction of a clergyman.
Security operatives engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle during which one suspect was neutralised, while others escaped with injuries.
The kidnapped cleric was rescued unhurt and the police recovered one AK-47 rifle, twenty rounds of ammunition, one extra magazine, two daggers and military camouflage uniforms.
Similarly, police foiled another kidnapping attempt along the Ngene-Ukwu axis of Adani-Nsukka Road on January 18, 2026.
One suspect was neutralised in a gun duel while others escaped with gunshot wounds.
READ ALSO Enugu Police Commissioner Warns Officers Against Extortion, Misconduct
An AK-47 rifle and 20 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
The Commissioner of Police said the command arrested 210 suspects linked to cultism and illicit drug trafficking within the year.
One major operation according to him occurred on March 8, 2026 when police disrupted a cult initiation ceremony linked to the Black Axe confraternity in a forest near the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Thirteen suspects were arrested after exchanging gunfire with operatives.
Recovered items included; locally made firearms and pistols, 35 expended cartridges and two live cartridges, pick-axe and jack knives, three vehicles and a tricycle, 45 motorcycles, 24 mobile phones, laptop, power banks and clothing items.
Police also seized large quantities of drugs including cannabis, tramadol and methamphetamine known as “Mkpuru-mmiri.”.
Giwa said the command recorded the following arrests over the past year: 148 suspects for armed robbery, 129 suspects for kidnapping, 158 suspects for murder, 48 suspects for unlawful possession of firearms, 210 suspects for cultism and drug trafficking, 39 suspects for rape or defilement and 5,163 suspects for other offences. In total, 5,895 suspects were arrested.
Police also recovered: 105 firearms including 22 AK-47 rifles, 665 rounds of ammunition and 118 stolen or abandoned vehicles
Giwa said 1,248 criminal cases were prosecuted, resulting in 237 convictions, while 368 cases remain under investigation.
He thanked the Olatunji Rilwan Disu and Peter Ndubuisi Mbah for their support.