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Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
The Cross River State Police Command disclosed that the command recorded about 521 crime incidents last year.
The crime incidents recorded by the command includes the abduction of the lead consultant of neurology at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Professor Ekanem Ephraim.
Professor Ephraim was kidnapped on July 13, 2023 around the Atimbo Axis of Calabar Municipality by unknown gunmen and taken into captivity.
Investigation into her abduction is still ongoing and her abduction forms part of the crime incidents recorded in the state last year which includes other crimes like armed robbery, cult activities, communal clashes, car snatching, child trafficking, murder, rape, among others.
Speaking with newsmen in Calabar, the State Police Commissioner Gygon Grimah said out of these recorded incidents, 273 were charged to court and 41 conclusively prosecuted.
Giving further details, he said 36 criminals were convicted, 3 discharged, 229 are pending trial, 103 were transmitted to the DPP while 126 cases are before the magistrate and high courts.
The Police Commissioner said going forward, it’s energies will be changed to crime prevention and it’s crimes prevention machineries have been overhauled.
“All our efforts and energies shall be geared towards the prevention of crimes and the successful apprehension of offenders that would test our resolve.
“Consequently, the command has overhauled its crime prevention machineries with Community Policing as the pillars of this strategy.
“We have already set the ball rolling and took proactive measures to stamp out 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” he said.
The Police Commissioner also paraded about 16 persons suspected of commiting various crimes within the state this year.
