The Inspector General of Police Usman Baba says kidnapping is a new crime in Nigeria though the abduction of citizens and foreigners for ransom has been happening in the country for many years.

Mr Baba also suggested that the police had just begun to hear of bandits.

“There is a new crime which is called kidnapping. We know of armed robbery, and now we (have) started hearing of armed banditry. So, we must work with modernity,” added the police boss.

Mr Baba disclosed that six helicopters had been deployed to tackle the kidnappers and bandits.

“We have made our air wings very effective. We are proud of putting six helicopters in the air at one time,” Mr Baba said on Wednesday while addressing officers and men of Akwa Ibom command in Uyo.

He added, “Our marine segment has been reactivated. Our Technical Intelligence Unit is working. We have acquired drones. We have digitalised our crime section. We have involved a lot of technology in our work.”

The IGP charged officers and men to redouble their efforts in crime prevention, stressing that the changing nature of criminality had brought about the introduction of technology in fighting crimes.

“Crime and criminality is a dynamic thing; it is not something that is static. It moves with time. It moves with modernisation. It moves with technology,” the police boss explained. “Nobody has ever told us that human beings can be stolen. Now we see human beings being stolen and taken away, and they’re asking you to bring money.”

He explained that the police had begun training 10,000 recruits.

“Since we came, we have gotten a lot. We have just been given 200 brand new pick-up vehicles that are very strong by the Police Trust Fund,” he added.

The IGP urged police officers to constantly educate themselves by reading and listening to the news on television to acquaint themselves with the latest happenings in society.

(NAN)