The Nigeria Police Force Border Patrol Unit has made several major breakthroughs in its ongoing fight against smugglers, human traffickers, and armed criminals operating around the country’s borders.
In Taraba State, at Gembu, smugglers abandoned two trucks loaded with petrol after a police chase. In another operation near the Benin Republic border, officers seized three motorcycles carrying 43 jerrycans of petrol.
At Mubi in Adamawa State, a Toyota Starlet loaded with 60 jerrycans of petrol heading to Cameroon was intercepted. Similarly, at Jibia in Katsina State, a smuggler on a motorcycle dropped his fuel load and escaped when he spotted patrol teams.
Beyond fuel smuggling, the Unit also cracked down on armed crime. In Cross River State, two suspects were caught in Ikom with locally made pistols hidden in their vehicle.
At Imeko in Ogun State, a pump-action rifle, ten live cartridges, and 20 wraps of cannabis were recovered from fleeing traffickers.
Human trafficking rings were also disrupted. At Illela, Sokoto State, police arrested a 48-year-old suspected trafficker and an accomplice trying to take a 25-year-old victim into Niger.
In Bachaka, four more suspects, including two women, were intercepted while attempting to traffic victims to Libya and Italy without valid travel papers. All victims were rescued and placed under protective custody.
Police also intercepted several stolen or smuggled vehicles. At Jibia in Katsina, a Toyota Corolla suspected to have been stolen in Niger was recovered.
In Daura, another suspect was caught with a Toyota Carina full of illicit drugs, while yet another was arrested with 26 suspected stolen Android phones. In Oyo State, a smuggled Nissan Micra from Benin Republic was also seized.
At Mubi, Adamawa State, officers tracked and arrested a notorious burglar involved in cross-border motorcycle thefts and repeated shop break-ins.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised the Border Patrol Unit for their commitment and promised that operations would continue to focus on intelligence led policing, stronger partnerships with other security agencies, and dismantling all criminal networks along Nigeria’s borders
