Police Replies Deputy Speaker Wase, Denies Working With Bandits, Terrorists

The Kaduna State Command of the Nigeria Police has debunked reports that its operatives collude with bandits and terrorists across the nation.

The Police Command in a statement by its public relations officer, ASP Muhammed Jalige on behalf of the Police Commissioner, Mudassiru Abdullahi denied any form of complicity in the operations of the bandits and terrorists.

The statement on Wednesday by Jalige comes in response to an allegation by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase who accused some policemen of working with bandit terrorists across the country.

Speaking on the floor of the House during Tuesday plenary, Wase alleged that the police officers collude with the terrorists to inflict pain on innocent citizens and cause insecurity.

The deputy speaker alleged that some policemen always release suspected bandit terrorists without charging them to court.

But in its reaction, the Police stated that contrary to the allegation, its operatives have been working tirelessly to curb the activities of the bandits.

The statement revealed that within the past eleven months, the Kaduna State Police Command has been at the fore in the fight against banditry, armed robbery and kidnapping in the state.

It added that this has led to the arrest of a total of 305 suspects for involvement in the series of banditry attacks, armed robbery and kidnapping operations on the Kaduna-Abuja highway and other localities in Kaduna State. Out of these, 242 suspects are being prosecuted at various courts within the State.

Similarly, a total of 161 sophisticated firearms and weapons, and 2,924 ammunition were recovered by the Police in the various crime fighting operations. Also, 168 kidnap victims were successfully rescued and reunited with their families.

The statement added: “The Command, therefore, wishes to state unequivocally that at no time has it connived, aided or abetted the commission of these heinous crimes in the State. The report that bandits who were arrested by the Police were subsequently released is unfounded and misleading.

“The provision of the law is clear as to the role of the Police within the gamut of the criminal justice system including its statutory powers touching on the investigation, apprehension and prosecution of criminal offenders.

“The Command under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, CP Mudassiru Abdullahi psc (+) will remain focused in the discharge of these responsibilities.

“The Command enjoins all stakeholders in the fight against insecurity to desist from making comments capable of undermining the fight against banditry and other crimes, not just in Kaduna state but the country at large.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Mudassiru Abdullahi psc (+) hereby restates that the Command is not discouraged in any way but will be unrelenting in ensuring that the few misguided individuals bent on disrupting the peace in the state by perpetrating these nefarious activities are arrested, and made to face the wrath of the law. He calls on residents of the state to promptly report any suspicious activity within their locality to the nearest police station.”