Kwara Police Nab Five Alleged Criminals, Recovers Six AK-47

By Steve Oni, Ilorin

Amid COVID- 19 ban on inter state travels, the operatives of Kwara state police command have arrested no fewer than five notorious criminals, while six AK-47 riffles were recovered from them, the state’s commissioner of police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun has disclosed.

He said the arrested persons, including a man from Katsina involved in the kidnapping of a Special Assistant in Nasarawa​ state, were apprehended at different locations in the state between April and May 2020 despite the lockdown imposed as a result of COVID-19.

The CP, who made the disclosure on Thursday in Ilorin at a meeting of the Presidential Joint Technical Task Team (JTTT) on Emergency Response to COVID-19 on Challenges of Movement of Food and Agricultural Inputs in the Country, said the command, despite being cautious of the need to ensure seemless transportation of agriculture products, would not compromise the security of the state and the nation at large.

Corroborating the CP, the state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), A. Bello, called on leaders of transport unions to further caution their members against sabotaging efforts of security agencies under the guise of conveying food items and agricultural products.

Expressing concerns over gross violation of inter state travel ban by truck drivers who continue to engage in smuggling passengers across state borders, CP​ Egbetokun said: “Between April and now, we have arrested five notorious criminals with dangerous weapons . We have also recovered six Ak- 47 riffles from these notorious criminals who are relocating from other states where they have committed crimes and want to come and continue here.
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“We arrested someone involved in the kidnap​ of one SA (Special Assistant) in Nasarawa and ran from Katsina to kwara state to come and continue his criminal activities. We recovered AK-47 riffles from him.

“We also arrested another one along Kanbi- Oloru axis. We also recovered​ one AK-7 rifle from him.

“We arrested another person from Zamfara, we recovered​ two AK-47 from him.

“Along Ogbomoso – Ilorin road, we arrested a notorious criminal who has been terrorising people . Riffles were recovered. It was during this pandemic that they were all arrested.

Though security operatives were carrying out their duties with human face to ensure “unhindered movement of food items and live stocks”​ to cushion the effects of the pandemic, he warned that the concession was not a license to violate laws.”

The police boss noted that security operatives in the state have also uncovered new pranks by truck drivers conveying food items and livestock which he regretted were jeopardising border security.

“Border security is our major challenge in this state. There is the need to educate our drivers .On approaching security agents at the border, they drop there passengers who will walk down and go and meet them at the agreed point. We have just discovered that and anyone that is caught will be dealt with accordingly”, the CP warned.