The Enugu Police Command on Friday said it arrested a total of 39 suspects for various criminal offences, as well as recovered 10 assorted rifles and ammunition in the state, in one month.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu, who disclosed this in Enugu, said that the suspects were arrested for offences ranging from armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, unlawful possession of firearms, child stealing and conspiracy, car and phone snatching, house burglary, among others.

Following arrests made between February 12 and March 18, Mr Aliyu explained that the arrested suspects included 37 males and two females, who were involved in child stealing and conspiracy within the Aninri council area.

He said, “The two women identified as Peace Ndukwe from Abia and Ebere Eze from Enugu, were arrested for conspiracy and stealing of a three year-old-child, whose mother had left him at home to fetch water.

“Peace Ndukwe took the baby, pretending to buy him biscuit having discovered that his mother was not at home.

“The mother raised alarm when she couldn’t find her baby and invited police operatives from the Aninri Division and special anti-human trafficking unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department that unravelled the mystery of the missing child.”

He said that the command also recovered four live cartridges, five expended ammunition, one expended cartridge, two empty magazines, 12 vehicles, three tricycles and one motorcycle, from the various operations during the month.

Other items also recovered include one military camouflage uniform, three television sets, one LED video player, one laptop, 15 mobile phones, 36 sim cards of different networks, two power banks, one water heater, one international passport and one national identity card.

Mr Aliyu said that the police was able to achieve this as a result of its collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Neighbourhood Watch Group in the state.

The commissioner enjoined residents of the state to continue to support the police by reporting criminal activities to the nearest police station, in order to keep the state safe.

“Security is everybody’s business. Residents have to assist the police and also be watchful of negative developments in their areas and report same to the police,” he added.

(NAN)