Six wanted criminals are off the streets of Enugu State. Security agencies nabbed them in a joint operation, recovering a small armoury in the process.
Governor Peter Mbah inspected the cache of arms on Friday at the Enugu State headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS). He said the suspects were involved in deadly security breaches in the state, including an incident in December last year that killed some security officers.
“Recall that sometime in December last year, we had an incident that took the lives of some of our officers. If you also cast your mind back at that time, the state government actually placed bounties on the heads of the criminals,” Mbah said.
“We have before now been able to apprehend some of the criminals who participated in that heinous act. The people we have here today are those who have been on the run,” he added.
The weapons recovered are staggering: 17 AK-47 rifles, one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), one rocket-propelled rifle, one tear-gas gun, 12 AK-47 magazines, two hand-held grenades, three tear-gas canisters, and 1,071 rounds of ammunition. That includes 323 special rounds, 270 NATO rounds, and 478 standard 7.62mm rounds. The haul also included various uniforms and four lanyards.
Mbah was received at the DSS office by the State Director of the DSS, Humphery Ohikhuare; the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa; and the Garrison Commander of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu, Brigadier General Garba Suru.
The governor said his administration's heavy investment in modern security infrastructure is paying off. He said technology alone isn't enough — you need a dedicated workforce to operate it.
“We can see results with this tracking of criminal elements and cracking of criminal gangs. I'm sure the people of Enugu State can now sleep knowing that we have their backs covered,” Mbah declared.
He sent a direct warning to criminals: “We don't have room for you. I can also assure you that if you come in here and commit a crime, no matter how long it takes, we must identify you, we must get you, and we must ensure that you are brought to justice.”
Mbah also charged property owners to do background checks on tenants. He said the government will prosecute landlords who rent to criminals and demolish properties linked to violent crimes.
“You can't be exculpated on the ground that you said that you didn't know. The law has placed the duty on you. You must ensure that you know who you're giving your house to as a landlord,” he said.
Mbah, who chairs the Presidential Committee on the Revamp of Security Training Institutions, praised President Bola Tinubu for supporting the creation of state police and rehabilitating security training facilities across Nigeria.
“We've received the funds to ensure that all the training institutions for our security agencies are rehabilitated and reconstructed. That means we're going to also have standardisation of training across the country,” Mbah said.
He also commended the House of Representatives for passing the State Police Bill, saying it will help eliminate the “tragedy of the commons” in security management.