In its efforts to curb the rising cases of kidnapping, banditry and other forms of criminality in Plateau State, the State Police Command has launched Operation Puff Adder in the State.
The Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede, said the Operation Puff Adder launched in Plateau is in line with the vision of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed, Abubakar Adamu, to tackle kidnapping, armed robbery, and bandits among others.
Akinmoyede said, “The operation is lunch in Plateau to tackle insecurity such as kidnapping‚ armed robbery, Cultism, banditry and Sara Suka crimes and to also prevent the influx of criminal elements considering the ongoing security operations in the neighbouring Kaduna, Nasarawa and Taraba states.”
The CP who was represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bature Umar, said the manpower for the operation is drawn from the Police Mobile Force (PMP), Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (5PU), Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), State Intelligence Bureau (SIE) and State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID).
Governor Simon Lalong, who launched the operation at Police headquarters, Jos, charged Plateau residents to provide useful information to security agencies, particularly on criminal hideouts for prompt action.
The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, pledged to support the security agencies in the state.
In his goodwill message, Commander Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Major General Augustine Agundu, said the security challenges in Plateau needed to be tackled from multiple dimensional perspectives.
Agundu added that they would collaborate with the operation to make Plateau unsafe for kidnappers, armed robbers and bandits.
“Its launch is timely, and indeed we shall use this privilege to deal decisively with all threats to our livelihood here on the Plateau.
“We are determined than ever to say, never again would the cancerous factors that had bedevilled the state resonate.
According to the Commander, “My experiences here on the Plateau gives an indication of a multifaceted crisis that requires multidimensional approaches to solving them.
“The launching of Operation Puff Adder, is one of those initiatives”, he stressed.
