The Commissioner of Police in Niger State, Diseye  Nsirim,  said on Thursday that the police arrested  41 men suspected to be criminals in Suleja.

Ms. Nsirim, who addressed newsmen in Minna, said the arrests were made in determination to rid the state of criminals. She said some of the suspects were arrested in their hideouts while others were held for violating the curfew imposed on the area.

She said the police made the arrests after they received information from members of the public as regards the activities of the arrested fellows.

The commissioner said the suspects had been handed over to the Police Criminal Investigation Department for screening to determine those who would be prosecuted.

Ms. Nsirim saidthe police would rid the state of all criminal elements. “We are telling the bad boys to leave Niger as we are going to deal with them ruthlessly,” she said.

She added that the command would focus on community policing by working with communities to ensure that crime prevention, detection and arrest were accorded high priority.

Mrs. Nsirim said she would operate an open door policy to ensure that members of the public had direct access to her at all times with useful information that could assist her in the performance of her work.

She said the command had carried out the directive of the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, on dismantling roadblocks.