Christopher Oji
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has warned that the police would be tough and ruthless on criminals, especially those operating on the Abuja/Kaduna Expressway.
He charged the police to be firm and ruthless with criminal elements that may attempt to take the risk of testing their will or threatening the citizens within their areas of jurisdiction
The IGP, who gave the warning to criminals at the weekend during the official launching of Operation Puff Adder, a tactical special operation to deal with hoodlums operating on Abuja/Kaduna Expressway at Katari town along the expressway, said: “To the criminal elements, let me sound this note of warning loud and clear. Give up your criminal activities, embrace other legitimate means of livelihood or be prepared for the consequences of your criminality.”
Adamu, who called for the full support of the public on the fight against kidnappers, said: “In order to fully achieve the objectives of this special operation, however, we need the full support of the civil populace, particularly traditional rulers, religious leaders, youths associations, market bodies, cultural associations and professional bodies among others.
“With this massive deployment of Police Mobile Force (PMF) Special Forces, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and other technical intelligence assets of the force with Relevant Air Power (RAR), it’s going to be serious bad news for the notorious kidnappers who recently relocated to this axis. The citizens and the police are now united in their resolve to take the battle to their doorsteps and bring them to deserved justice.
“Criminals are not spirits. They are human beings that live within us. They socialise with us and are known to us. While we, as security agents, will provide the lead in the prevention and detection of crimes, the public should provide us with credible information. The farthest we can go in this task is dependent on the commitment of the citizens across all communities to volunteer quality information to law enforcement agents.
“We should appreciate that hoarding criminal information, providing safe haven for criminals or acting as accomplices in any form is tantamount to riding on the back of a hungry tiger and endangering not just oneself as an individual but the entire community.
“Permit me to also use this opportunity to specially appeal for the support and understanding of media practitioners across the print, electronic and social media.”