The police captured 157 suspected kidnappers across Nigeria last month, while 13 were arrested in the first week of this month.
The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Mohammed Adamu, made the disclosure at a meeting with officers from the rank of commissioner of police and above on Friday in Abuja.
He said that national crime profile of the country from April 1 to date, indicated a significant increase in the arrest of offenders and recoveries of firearms.
Adamu said that Kaduna State recorded the highest with 18 suspects, followed by Plateau with 17, Edo 15 and Niger and Zamfara with 10 each.
The police chief said that 218 armed robbery suspects were arrested at various commands within the period, 57 were arrested in the first week of May.
Adamu said that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, recorded the highest number of captured suspected armed robbers with 42, Edo 28, Oyo 24, Anambra 22 and Imo 21.
He said that 147 firearms of various makes were recovered in the month under review while 50 were recorded in the first week of May.
Adamu said that Lagos and Zamfara topped the list with 22 each, Edo 21, Delta 20, Kaduna 12 and Niger 11.
According to him, statistics show that the police are winning the fight against crime and criminality in the country.
The police boss said that the data also showed that the rate of arrest of offenders and recoveries of firearms connected with crimes had been on steady increase.
“This trend is particularly noticeable from the month of April which coincided with the launch of `Operation Puff Adder.’
“This is indicative of the fact that the operation has been largely effective in strengthening the capacity of the police to respond to internal security threats.”
He charged officers as strategic security managers to build on the solid foundation already laid with the launch of Operation Puff Adder, to strengthen security and crime management.
Adamu said that Safer Highway Motorised patrol scheme would be resuscitated to complement the efforts of various police commands.
He charged the police chiefs to return to their various commands with renewed vigor and to redouble their efforts toward tackling kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry.
Issues that would be discussed at the meeting include, trend of crimes in the country and establishment of a National Crime Analysis Centre.
Other issues to be discussed are the resuscitation and expansion of the safer highway patrol scheme.