From Msughshima Andrew, Makurdi
The Benue State Police Command has launched “Operation Puff Adder” in Benue State to curb the rising wave of criminal activities in the State.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State, CP Mukaddas Garba while launching the operation in Makurdi on Wednesday, said it was in “continuation of efforts by the Nigeria Police Force to speedily bring to an end the current internal security challenges being experienced in some parts of the country including Benue State.”
CP Garba said “Operation Puff Adder” would deploy well-trained and equipped personnel to strategic areas for prevention and quick response to situations that may arise.
“The Operation is also targeted at identifying, locating and dismantling kidnapping gangs across the state and bringing the kidnappers and their collaborators to justice,” CP said.
The Police Commissioner who resumed duties in Benue last week appealed to stakeholders and the good people of Benue State to cooperate with the officers employed to their communities to ensure success of the operation, even as he assured that information given to the police by the public will be treated with confidence.
He said one of them was the launching of a robust security action plan tagged “OPERATION PUFF ADDER ” on 5th April, 2019 at Katar Bishin District; Abuja Kaduna Expressway. He equally directed that the Operation be implemented in all States.
He therefore noted that “Operation Puff Adder” would deploy well-trained and equipped personnel to strategic areas for prevention and quick response to situations that may arise.
“The Operation is also targeted at identifying, locating and dismantling kidnapping gangs across the state and bringing the kidnappers and their collaborators to justice,” CP said.
The Police Commissioner who resumed duties in Benue recently appealed to stakeholders and the good people of Benue State to cooperate with the officers employed to their communities to ensure success of the operation.
He particularly stated that the Sankara axis bedeviled by criminal elements would witness heavy deployment of the special team.
The Ter Makurdi, Chief Sule Abenga assured the Commissioner of the cooperation of the traditional institution to enable security agencies rid the state off criminal elements.
The representative of the Security Adviser to the Benue State Governor, Paul Hembah commended the efforts of the police and assured of government support to the operation.
The CP had earlier paraded 19 suspects arrested for sundry crimes including armed robbery, kidnapping, illegal arm manufacturing and cultism. He said their cases have been charged to Court for prosecution.
Among those paraded includes a suspected illegal armed manufacturer from Oju Local Government Area, who was manufacturing prohibited arms and supplying same to criminals.
Items recovered from them includes locally made pistols, fabricated metal barrel modified to fire both ammunition and cartridges, live ammunition, empty shells of expanded ammunition, parts of locally made guns, a camouflage cap, cash, phones among others.
He said the command will continue to partner with members of the public In the discharge 0f their responsibility of protecting lives and Properties in the state.
