The Borno State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in its ongoing fight against crime, arresting a total of 210 suspects and confiscating large quantities of illicit drugs and weapons during a series of coordinated operations held between June 11 and June 18.
This information was disclosed by the Borno Commissioner of Police, Naziru AbdulMajid, during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters in Maiduguri on Friday.
He explained that the recent operations were multi-faceted, involving targeted raids, continuous surveillance, stop-and-search measures, and a coordinated crackdown aimed at curbing handset snatching, youth gangsterism, violent thuggery, and drug abuse within the state.
Of the 210 individuals apprehended during the crackdown, 86 have already been convicted, while the remaining 124 suspects are still undergoing thorough investigations.
The operations also resulted in the seizure of an extensive cache of contraband, including 58 sachets of tramadol, 175 exzol tablets, 130 D5 tablets, and 395 wraps, alongside approximately 1 kilogram of dried leaves believed to be Indian hemp.
In addition to these drugs, the police recovered other prohibited items such as 28 ermo tablets, 10 bottles of medicinal syrup, 19 shisha pots and smoking pipes, nine knives, and two customized antelope horns, underscoring the variety of illegal paraphernalia in circulation.
Commissioner AbdulMajid attributed the success of the operations to the efforts of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Social Vices Unit, a collaborative task force comprising police officers and other security agencies.
He lauded the courage and commitment of the officers involved and expressed gratitude to the Borno State Government for its support in revitalizing and adequately equipping the RRS unit, which has played a pivotal role in maintaining law and order.
Further acknowledging the support of the state’s legal apparatus, the Police Commissioner commended the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hauwa Abubakar, for facilitating the swift prosecution of arrested suspects, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the command’s efforts to deliver justice.
AbdulMajid called on the residents of Borno State to actively collaborate with security agencies by reporting any suspicious activities and providing credible intelligence to aid ongoing investigations. “Let me be unequivocally clear,” he asserted, “under my leadership, the Police Command in Borno will not tolerate any form of criminality or unlawful behavior.”