The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has said nationwide anti-crime operations conducted between June 9 and June 21, 2026, resulted in the arrest of 1,198 suspects.
Speaking at a monthly conference with strategic senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja on Tuesday, the IG disclosed that the arrests spanned various offenses, alongside significant recoveries of illegal arms, stolen vehicles, and the rescue of abducted victims.
He said, “Since 9th June 2026, anti-crime operations across the Federation have led to the arrest of 1,198 suspects for various offences. That figure breaks down as follows: 151 suspects for murder and culpable homicide, 117 for armed robbery, 151 for kidnapping, and 104 suspected cultists.
“A further 169 persons were arrested for unlawful possession of firearms.”
The police chief further revealed that 166 kidnap victims were rescued, as well as the recovery of major weaponry and assets.
“Our operations also led to the rescue of 166 kidnap victims. We recovered 166 assorted firearms and 1,475 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, along with 47 stolen vehicles,” Disu said.
He added that behind every success was personnel who did their job well, often at real personal risk.
Focusing on specific recent achievements, Disu singled out the successful rescue of abducted students and teachers in Oyo State as a benchmark for effective joint security operations.
“The successful rescue of the abducted students and teachers in Oyo State deserves particular mention. It is a clear example of what we can achieve when Nigeria’s security agencies work together with a genuine sense of common purpose.
“The operation succeeded because of close collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, other security and intelligence agencies, and members of the public who came forward with timely, credible information,” he said.
Disu commended the operatives involved, noting that “careful planning, honest inter-agency cooperation and good intelligence work” brought the victims home safely.
However, he warned senior officers against relaxing operational standards following recent breakthroughs.
“A win like this should sharpen our resolve, not soften it. We cannot let a success like Oyo breed complacency. Every achievement should push us to improve further, not to relax,” the IGP cautioned.
Addressing the evolving threat environment across the country, Disu charged Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Commissioners of Police to shift from routine deployments to dynamic, threat-informed strategies tailored to their specific jurisdictions.
“Nigeria’s security environment remains demanding. We have recorded real successes in recent months, but terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery, cult-related violence, cybercrime and other organised criminal activity continue to evolve, and we have to evolve faster than they do. Every deployment should be guided by credible intelligence and a sound assessment of the threat, not habit or routine,” Disu said.
Defining the standard for leadership within the force, the IGP emphasized that performance would be evaluated strictly by security outcomes rather than the frequency of operations.
He directed every command to conduct post-operation reviews to refine future tactical execution.
“I want to be clear about what success looks like. It is not the number of operations we run. It is the security outcomes those operations produce. I expect every Commissioner of Police to build a command-specific strategy that reflects the realities on the ground in your state… An institution that keeps learning is one that stays effective,” he stressed.
Disu urged citizens across the country to maintain active partnerships with law enforcement agencies by sharing actionable information.
“Lasting security depends on genuine partnership between the police and the communities we serve. I encourage every Nigerian to stay alert and to keep reporting suspicious activity. Every piece of information matters. If you see something, say something,” he said.
