The Bayelsa State Police Command in working towards the creation of a ‘New Crime Reduction Framework in Bayelsa State’, has cracked down on several criminal gangs in the state including the smashing of cultists, armed robbers, drugs rings even as it has succesfully implemented the directive of IGP Ibrahim Idris on prohibited arms mop up.
Consequenyly, the command has arrested 50 cultists, smashed 15 armed robbery gangs, mopped up 49 illegal and prohibited arms as well as dislodged 15 drugs rings in the state thereby drastically reducing criminality in the state.
Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State, CP Donald Awunah who made the disclosure in Yenagoa on Tuesday, used the occasion to commend IGP Idris as a courageous apostle of democratic Policing who has ensured a paradigm shift from reactionary-traditional policing, to a driver of the ‘change’ mantra in Police and a crusader in Police reforms.
CP Awunah said, “Operation Safer Bayelsa (OSB) as a comprehensive crime reduction strategy was designed as a frontal attack on crime and criminal elements in the State through intelligence driven policing, proactive policing and coordinated response to distress calls, anchored on community policing principles. Indeed the Command has recorded huge gains in this direction.
“The Command has enjoyed the tremendous support and assistance from the Governor of the State, Rt. Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, the government and the people of the State whose valuable flow of information on criminal activities has remained critical to our successes.
“Also, the creative partnership of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), Civil Liberty Organizations (CLOs), Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Eminent Persons Forum, Police Community Relation Committee (PCRC), the Press, Youths and Women groups.
“Together we were able to surmount the enormous challenges of confronting armed robbers, kidnappers, cultist, drug dealers and mop up arms and illegal weapons from the possession of unauthorized individuals in the State.
“With the passage of the Secret Cults/Societies and Similar Activities Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2018 by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, the State has further empowered the Police to clampdown decisively on cultist and cult related violence in the State.
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In the renewed onslaught on cultists, the Anti Cultism Unit (ACU) of the Command has arrested over fifty (50) confessed members of different cult groups, some of which have been charged to court while others are undergoing investigation.
“The proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country has fueled internal insecurity in the country.
“It is against this background that the Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris directed Commissioners of Police to mop up arms and ammunition in the country.
“In compliance to the IGPs directive, the Command has been able to mop-up forty-nine (49) illegal firearms in the hands of criminal elements in the State.
“Similarly, the Command has equally, deliberately targeted and smashed a cluster of fifteen (15) armed robbery gangs and arrested suspects, recovered arms and ammunitions and stolen property.
On the dislodgement of drug dealers, CP Awunah said, “The Command through actionable intelligence and with the cooperation of members of the public has dislodged about fifteen (15) drug peddlers in the State, disrupting their supply chain.
“Similarly, twelve (12) firearms/ammunition of different caliber, narcotics, weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, were recovered from the drug peddlers.
Furthermore, he said, “We have initiated Inter Agency collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to further conclude our investigation.
“It is instructive at this juncture to point out that these achievements among many others were possible essentially, due to the guidance, policy direction, logistics support and motivation of the Inspector-General of Police IGP Ibrahim Idris a courageous apostle of democratic policing, an asset to democracy and rule of law.
“The Inspector-General of Police has remained an ardent believer in principles and core values of community policing.
“Since mounting the saddle of leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, he brought his international exposure, experience and professionalism to bare on the internal security framework.
“We in Bayelsa State Police Command have implicit confidence, trust and believe in the capacity of the IGP.
“We pledge our unalloyed loyalty and support to the IGP in the onerous task of driving and leading the internal security initiatives in a complex country Nigeria.”
CP Don N. Awunah,
Commissioner of Police,
Bayelsa State, Command
