The Cross River State Commissioner of Police, CP Gyogon Augustine Grimah, on Thursday revealed that the Command, from January 1 to December 31, 2023 recorded a total of five hundred and twenty one (521) incidents.
According to him, this incidents include kidnapping, abduction, armed robbery, cult activities, communal clashes, car snatching, car theft, child abuse, child trafficking murder, arson, defilement, cattle rustling, sea robbery, lynching, burglary and stealing among others.
In a press briefing, the CP noted that out of this cases, 273 cases were charged to court, 41 cases were conclusively prosecuted, 3 cases have been discharged, 36 suspects have been convicted and 229 cases are still pending trial, of which 103 cases were transmitted to Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
“I would like to emphatically state that the year 2023 was not without daunting challenges though with a decrease in crime wave, due to the pragmatic law enforcement drills plunged into with constant raids of identified criminal hideouts, creeks, blacks spots, as well as flash points through visibility Policing, intelligence led-policing and coordinated operations by Tactical Commanders in synergy with other security agencies within the State to drastically reduce crimes and criminality to the barest minimum.
“The Command under my watch is taking drastic measures in fighting crimes and the perpetrators. Therefore, all our efforts and energies shall be geared towards the prevention of crimes and the successful apprehension of offenders that would test our resolve.”
He affirmed the command’s commitment to taking proactive measures to eliminate the rising crimes in the state through round the clock patrol, constant raids on identified criminal hideouts and black-spots, surveillance foot and vehicular patrols, regular stop and search, intelligence gathering, and above all stakeholders engagements to address crimes in their localities.
“It is pertinent to reiterate here that the safety of lives and properties in the state will not be possible without the cooperation of members of the public irrespective of their status. Let me use this medium to encourage well-meaning citizens residing in the State to view security as a collective venture by reporting all suspicious person(s) or movements to the nearest Police Station, or call the Command Control Room via 08133569456 for prompt and timely response at all times.”
Grimah urged all residents of Cross River to be prepared for the task ahead, advising all criminal gangs across the state to choose the path of peace and embrace skill acquisition programs implemented by the state governments, and other lucrative ventures so as to be beneficial to the society.
Suspects involved in various crimes, including armed robbery, murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of arms, cultism among others were paraded by the Cross River State Police Command in Calabar and the few suspects that interacted with our correspondent had confessed to their various criminal roles and admitted to carrying out the crimes.
