2nd May, 2019
By Jethro Ibileke/Benin
In order to checkmate activities of criminals in the state and their sponsors, Edo State Police Command on Thursday launched a security action plan, code-named Operation Puff Adder.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. DanMallam Mohammed, who performed the launching, said “Operation Puff Adder is based on the principles of community policing, intelligence-led policing, synergy with other security agencies, convoy/motorized patrols, stop and search operations.”
He said being the gateway to other parts of the country, “social activities in the state is high and subsequently, criminal vices like cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery emerged in geometric dimension.
“Globally, the contemporary security challenges such as insurgency and terrorism, armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, proliferation of small and light weapons, herdsmen and farmers clashes, cattle rustling, illicit trade in drugs, human trafficking, armed banditry, cyber crime and illicit financial flow etc, are the evil of our time. The right against these mentioned heinous crimes is a great challenge to our generation.
“It is in realisation of this fact that the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, launched Operation Puff Adder.”
Speaking at the event, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 5, Mr. Dibal Yakadi, said the launching of the outfit was in line with the vision of the IGP in ensuring a safer environment for the people.
Yakadi, who was represented by the ACP (Admin), Emmanuel Effiom, disclosed that the IGP had directed that the Operation Puff Adder be launched in all the state commands, with a view to reducing crime and criminality.
He noted that “shortly after the 2019 general elections, the country witnessed an upsurge in heinous crimes in the country, such as kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, as a result of the proliferation of light weapons in the hands of unscrupulous elements.”
The AIG described Operation Puff Adder as a robust security action plan with massive deployment of trained and motivated personnel, dream from the PMF, SARA, Safer Highway, SIB, who were expected to display a high level of discipline and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.