POLICE have recovered missing vehicles, arms and ammunition in Plateau State.
While reviewing his activities in the past year, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Dipo Ayeni, said that although there were many challenges that confronted his command that made the task of maintaining law and order difficult in the state, it had been able to weather the storm through the grace of God and diligent management of logistics and human resources.
Besides, Plateau State legislators in the National Assembly have rejected the state of emergency declared by President Goodluck Jonathan in four local government councils of the state.
Briefing journalists on Wednesday evening, Ayeni disclosed that of the 71 cases of snatched vehicles which amounted to N81,250, 000, they recovered 42 which amounted to N52,600,000.
On arms and ammunition, Ayeni stressed that the crises in Plateau enhanced the circulation of small arms which gave the state police command and other security agencies a difficult task. He, however, added that due to proper intelligence gathering and management, the command was able to recover about 117 assorted firearms and 558 ammunition.
“But our logistics and personnel were over-stretched, over-tasked and over-used. But despite that, we were able to carry out our statutory duties with total dedication, determination and unbending patriotism. Consequently, the elements that were disturbing the peace , equilibrium and causing unnecessary mayhem on the plateau were subjected to close monitoring. In the process, 72 of them were arrested and were charged to court for various offences. Prosecution of these cases is in progress,” he said.
The police boss added that details of the emergency declared in the four local councils in the state had not been made known. He urged the people of the state in possession of arms to voluntarily surrender them, adding that they should not wait before they were forced to do so.
Ayeni said that the state command under him was not overwhelmed by the activities of criminals, charging the citizens to give the police necessary information.
He disclosed that the Police Service Commission promoted some personnel of the command in the state.
The Plateau legislators, who disclosed their stand on Wednesday evening at a press briefing, said that the problem of the state was peculiar.
They said that the problem of Plateau State was different from other three states where emergency rule was declared, adding that in those three states there was terrorism.
The spokesman of the federal legislators, Senator Gyang Dantong, said yesterday that they wanted the Federal Government to revert the state of emergency in the state.
They also queried the Sultan of Sokoto who said that the report of the Chief Solomon Lar’s peace committee should be implemented, adding that what they expected was for the Federal Government to implement all the past white papers on commissions of inquiries.