The Police in Lokoja, caital of Kogi State, on Thursday paraded 20 persons suspected to be kidnappers and armed robbers.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Wilson Inalegwu, said some of them were arrested for criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms and culpable homicide.

He said the suspects were arrested at Igalamela/Odolu, Ankpa, Ibaji, Odo-ere, Okene and Odo-Ape during security operations by men of the Special Anti Robbery Squads (SARS).

Those paraded were Musa Audu, Adamu Lamun and Bodori Ide for allegedly kidnapping one Aishetu Shehu on Feb. 4, 2017.

Inalegwu said the suspects collected N500,000 ransom before releasing her.

He said that Enemona Godwin, Solomon Anthony, Yakubu Abdullahi, Hassan Abdullahi, Ekele Attah, Umar Abubakar, Ahmadu Panya, Jeremiah Olorunmowaju, Idris Umar, Umar Mohammed and Hussaini Yahaya were arrested for armed robbery and kidnapping.

According to him, four pump action guns, four AK47, two pistols, two double barrel guns, two Dane guns, 200 live cartridges, 150 wraps of Indian hemps, military cap, boots and belts are some of the items recovered from the suspects.

Inalegwu said the new security strategies he introduced had started yielding results.

The commissioner, who assumed office barely a month ago, commended members of the local vigilance groups for their contribution to the fight against crime and promised to make the state safer for people.

Last week, Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, accompanied by Inalegwu and other members of the state security council, supervised the demolition of two houses used by terrorists and armed robbers in Okene.

In recent time, many commuters had been kidnapped or robbed while passing through the state. (Kola Adeyemi/NAN)

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