The Nigeria Police Force has announced the arrest of 1,198 criminal suspects across the country and the rescue of 166 kidnapped victims during coordinated anti-crime operations carried out over the past several weeks, as the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, pledged to intensify intelligence-led policing against violent crime.
Speaking on Tuesday during the monthly conference with strategic senior officers at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Disu said the nationwide operations also resulted in the recovery of 166 assorted firearms, 1,475 rounds of ammunition and 47 stolen vehicles, describing the achievements as evidence of sustained security efforts against criminal networks.
According to the police chief, those arrested include 151 suspects linked to murder and culpable homicide, 117 armed robbery suspects, 151 suspected kidnappers, 104 suspected cultists, and 169 individuals arrested for unlawful possession of firearms, alongside other suspects apprehended for various criminal offences.
Disu said the operations reflected the commitment of police commands nationwide to dismantling organised criminal groups responsible for insecurity across different parts of the country.
Highlighting one of the Force’s recent successes, the IGP commended security personnel involved in the rescue of abducted students and teachers in Oyo State, describing the operation as a model for effective collaboration among security agencies.
“The successful rescue of the abducted students and teachers in Oyo State deserves particular mention. It is a clear example of what we can achieve when Nigeria’s security agencies work together with a genuine sense of common purpose,” he said.
He attributed the success to close cooperation between the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces, intelligence agencies and members of the public who provided timely and credible information.
According to him, intelligence gathering, careful operational planning and effective inter-agency coordination were critical to ensuring the safe rescue of the victims.
Despite the operational gains, Disu warned senior police officers against complacency, insisting that every successful operation should serve as motivation for improved performance rather than relaxation.
“We cannot let a success like Oyo breed complacency. Every achievement should push us to improve further, not to relax,” he said.
The IGP noted that Nigeria’s security landscape remains challenging, with terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, cult violence and cybercrime continuing to evolve.
He therefore directed Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police to adopt command-specific security strategies tailored to the realities within their respective jurisdictions instead of relying on routine deployments.
According to him, operational decisions must be driven by credible intelligence and continuous threat assessments to improve policing outcomes.
Disu also instructed all state commands to institutionalise post-operation reviews aimed at identifying lessons from every major operation and strengthening future tactical responses.
“I want to be clear about what success looks like. It is not the number of operations we run. It is the security outcomes those operations produce,” he said.
The police boss also appealed to Nigerians to strengthen collaboration with security agencies by providing timely information capable of preventing crimes before they occur.
“Lasting security depends on genuine partnership between the police and the communities we serve. Every piece of information matters. If you see something, say something,” he added.
Also on Tuesday, Disu decorated 30 newly promoted senior officers, comprising 13 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and 17 Commissioners of Police.
He described their promotions as recognition of years of dedicated service and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them through exemplary leadership, professionalism and integrity as the Force confronts terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, cybercrime and other emerging security threats.
