Kwara State police command apprehended a total of 275 criminal suspects across the state in 2019, including those behind the kidnap of four Turkish nationals, rescued alive.
Speaking at end of year dinner and award night in Ilorin at the weekend, the state police commissioner, Kayode Egbetokun, charged officers under his command to sustain a peaceful atmosphere in the state.
“My dogged officers arrested 275 armed robberies and kidnap suspects last year alone with over 45 arms and ammunition recovered from them. Although, some of those criminals committed the offences outside Kwara State and ran down here with belief that it would be an hideout place for them, but they were eventually apprehended,” he said.
Egbetokun said that all suspects involved in the kidnapping of four Turkish nationals that were kidnapped at Gbugbu in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara North and later rescued alive are part of landmark achievements of the command in the year past.
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Justifying special day for his officers, Egbetokun said that Kwara State is one of the most peaceful states in the country, adding that situation was due to the level of commitment of security personnel in the state.
He, however, charged the officers to be more committed to duties and look beyond lack of commensurate appreciation from citizens.
“It is no secret that police force in this country gets more derision than praise for the effort it put into providing peace and security for citizens of this country in the most challenging environment and circumstances. But if not anyone else, we must appreciate ourselves for the fact that the state we are policing is peaceful,” he said.
The command also recognised some outstanding officers that performed excellently on duties in the year past.
“The recognised officers have been selected through a rigorous and objective process and it is our hope that their awards would be a source of motivation and inspiration for them to do more this year and as well serve as a challenge to others.”
The command also gave special awards to two private individuals, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Omo-Ola, Director of KASMAG Motor park, as most friendly personality and Mrs Elizabeth Egbetokun, wife of the state police commissioner, for her leadership quality and efforts in making life more meaningful for the police officers wife in the state.
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