By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State Police Command has arrested 582 suspected criminals across the state in the past seven months.
Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, disclosed this on Tuesday during a meeting with members of the Kogi Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the command headquarters in Lokoja.
According to Dantawaye, the arrests include 157 suspected kidnappers, 192 armed robbery suspects, 28 homicide cases, and 38 for unlawful possession of firearms. Others arrested include seven for rape, six cultists, and 168 for various other offences.
He said the command had also dismantled criminal networks, rescued kidnapped victims, and recovered several firearms, including eight AK-47 rifles, one AK-49 rifle, seven locally made pistols, 11 Dane guns, 407 rounds of live ammunition, 10 magazines, a Beretta pistol, seven live cartridges, one Sharon car, and two Bajaj motorcycles.
The CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to strengthening its collaboration with the media to enhance accurate reporting of police activities. He commended journalists for shaping public perception and ensuring accountability, urging them to remain professional and proactive in reporting suspicious activities.
Dantawaye stressed that security was a collective responsibility, adding that effective police–media relations were vital for maintaining a positive public image, securing community support, and highlighting the command’s achievements.
Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr Segun Salami, commended the CP’s leadership style, describing the engagement as a step toward building trust, fostering stronger security–media relations, and promoting peace in the state. He pledged the chapel’s continued support for police efforts to combat crime in Kogi.
