Samuel Bello, Abuja
Reports from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the crime statistics on reported offences reflected a total of 134,663 cases in 2017.
In its Crime Statistics: Reported Offences by Type and State (2017), released on NBS website, it stated that offences against property had the highest number of cases with a total of 68,579.
It also reported that offences against persons recorded 53,641 cases, while offence against lawful authority recorded the least with 12,443 cases, respectively.
The Bureau also said Lagos State had the highest percentage share of total cases reported with 50,975 (37.9%) cases recorded.
It added that Abia and Delta states followed closely with 12,408 (9.2%) and 7,150 (5.3%) cases, respectively, while Kebbi State had the lowest percentage share of total cases reported with 205 (0.2%) cases recorded. Kogi and Bauchi states followed closely with 282(0.20%) and 386(0.30%) cases recorded, respectively.
NBS, however, stated that data on numbers of area commands, divisions, stations, police posts and village posts reflected that there are 12 zonal commands, 37 commands, 217 area commands, 1730 divisions head quarter, 1212 police stations, 2020 police post and 328 police village post as at 2017.
“It is pertinent to state that offenses against persons are those offenses against human beings e.g. murder, manslaughter, infanticide, concealment of birth, rape and other physical abuse, while offenses against properties are those offenses against human belonging, properties of any kind e.g. stealing, receiving stolen properties, obtaining property by false pretense, robbery, burglary and house breaking.
“Offenses against lawful authority are any offense commitment against any establishment of the law e.g failure to pay your tax (FIRS) amounts to an offense against lawful authority in Nigeria,” said NBS.