Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State, Imohimi Edgal, said the command has rescued 19 kidnapped victims and arrested 171 suspects between December and February 25th, 2020.

Edgal, who disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking at a town hall/security summit of Uyo Area Command said 14 different fire arms and 25 types of ammunition were recovered while 94 have been charged to court

He said due to the security consciousness of the people, crime rate has dropped by over 25 percent adding the feat was possible as a result of community policing.

The commissioner lamented the challenge of manpower facing the Nigeria Police Force, and encouraged communities to take up strategic policing by setting up vigilante groups and deepening police participation.

He said:

“From December till the 25th of February 2020, the Police under my Command has arrested a total of 171 suspects for various offences.

“We have also rescued 19 persons who were kidnapped either within the state or outside the state, but our attention was drawn to it.

“We have recovered 14 different types of fire arms, we have also recovered 25 types of ammunition. We have also in our custody, 38 different types of exhibits. A total of 94 persons have been charged to court, while cases still under investigation remains at 77.

“I am an officer that believes in checking statistics and using it as a guide to know whether we are moving forward or backward.

“I have from this statistics checked previous crime records, and I can say with certainty that the police under my command under the last two months have been able to reduce crime in the entire Akwa Ibom by well over 25 percent.”

He said the command had set up a citizens complaints committee with ten dedicated lines for anyone with complaints to call.

He stated that though investigations show that people’s complaints about the police was hindering community partnership, he urged the people to have trust and confidence in the police for community policing to work.

He announced that there would soon be recruitment exercise for Community Policing Offiers,.adding that the CPOs will act as liaison between the police and the community in security and other matters.

He frowned at the recent students’ unrest which led to the closure of Government Technical College, Ewet Housing,Uyo and called on parents to do more by instilling discipline among their wards.

Also speaking, Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr Aniekan Bassey who was represented by Mr Nse Essien, House Committee Chairman on Youths and Security said the legislature owed the people a duty to create enabling laws for the society.

He said the Assembly have two bills: Vigilante Expression bill, and Security Trust Fund bill that will take care of security men in the state in case of loss of life.

He noted that the Assembly has received petitions on the killing of two persons by herdsmen, noting that the leadership of the house will hold Miyetii Allah responsible if people are killed by herdsmen in the state.