AWKA — THE police hierarchy yesterday expressed worry over the high rate of child trafficking and kidnap cases in the South East geo-political zone, with the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, in charge of Zone 9, Umuahia, Mr. Mohammad Yabo, saying the police had resorted to combining prayers with arms in the fight against the two crimes.
The AIG, who spoke during a visit to Anambra State police command, said there is need for the police in the South East zone to be up and doing in the discharge of their functions, instead of flouting the orders of the Inspector General of Police, IG, on the mounting of road blocks.
He said: “Stopping people and collecting money from them has very serious consequences, but that does not mean that you should not carry out stop and search.
“You should stop being friends of criminals and Indian hemp smokers and you should be careful how you handle your rifles as there is nothing like accidental discharge in the force.
“Corruption and extortion had become the bane of the police force and that is why the zone has established monitoring units to expose the bad eggs in the force.”
Briefing the AIG on the state of Anambra State police command, the commissioner of police, Mr. Bala Nasarawa, said 228 kidnap and robbery suspects were arrested in the state in the last six months.
He said of 31 kidnap cases reported, 22 victims were rescued, while three kidnap attempts were foiled.

According to him, 15 suspected criminals were killed by the police during the period, while 105 magazines, 13 Ak-47 riffles, one type 06 K2 riffle, one air riffle, 4385 assorted ammunition among other weapons were recovered.  Also, 20 cases of stolen or snatched vehicles were reported in the state during the period.