Following the recent upsurge in violent crimes in Bayelsa, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has sent a special squad to compliment the efforts of the Police Command in the state in combating crime.

Mr Asuquo Amba, the Commissioner of Police in the state who disclosed this to newsmen, noted that the proliferation of arms was hindering the efforts of the Police.

Amba said the arrival of the IG squad had strengthened the manpower needs of the policemen and also enhanced the command’s capacity to provide security to lives and property to ensure a crime-free Yuletide.

He said that the command was receiving specialised technical support from the IG team and had been linked to the IGs platform used for technology-based scientific investigations in the area of analysing telephone calls.

He said that the slight increase in crime rate would soon be a thing of the past following strategies put in place to intensify raids and increase vehicular patrols.

According to Police records reports, no fewer than five people had been shot dead in Bayelsa State in the past two weeks.

A female journalist survived an armed robbery attack in Yenagoa a few days ago.

Amba said that the command was having challenges with lack of detention facilities and was using the facilities of sister security agencies which were well-fortified detention facilities.

He noted that the command had also received assurances from state government that a modern detention facility for the Police Command in the state was being put in place and would be ready in January 2018.

The Commissioner also said that in spite of several challenges facing the command under his watch, it had made modest achievements in policing the state.

He identified armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, illegal possession and piracy as the major crimes facing the state.

He explained that from January till date, 62 murder cases were reported to the command with 68 arrested, while 21 cases were being investigated and 27 had been charged to court.

On rape and indecent assault, Amba said that 73 cases had been reported within the period under review; 122 suspects were arrested and 37 cases were under investigation, while 15 had been charged to court.

According to the Commissioner, 33 cases of kidnapping were reported to the command; 87 arrested; 17 under investigation, while eight cases had been charged to court.

He said that the command got 177 reports of armed robbery cases from January to date,and 241 suspects were apprehended, while 70 suspects were under investigation.

He said that 56 of the reported cases had been transferred to the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice and 27 cases had been charged to court. (NAN)

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