Police Arrest 1,198 Suspects, Rescue 166 Kidnap Victims

The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, reported that nationwide anti-crime operations conducted between June 9 and June 21, 2026, resulted in the arrest of 1,198 suspects for various offenses. The breakdown includes 151 suspects for murder and culpable homicide, 117 for armed robbery, 151 for kidnapping, and 104 suspected cultists, with an additional 169 arrests for unlawful possession of firearms.

During these operations, 166 kidnap victims were rescued, alongside the recovery of 166 firearms, 1,475 rounds of ammunition, and 47 stolen vehicles. Disu highlighted the successful rescue of abducted students and teachers in Oyo State as a prime example of effective collaboration among security agencies.

He commended the operatives for their careful planning and inter-agency cooperation but cautioned against complacency following these successes. Disu urged senior officers to adopt dynamic, threat-informed strategies to address the evolving security challenges in Nigeria, including terrorism, kidnapping, and organized crime.