Police commissioner gives data on police activity in the state.

The Rivers Police Command says 13 of its police officers were killed by armed robbers between April and August.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Indabawa, made this known at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Mr. Indabawa said the command killed 36 armed robbery and kidnap suspects in shoot outs, and arrested 365 others during the period under review. He said that the police rescued 17 kidnapped victims during the raids on criminal hideouts.

A breakdown of those arrested showed that 199 were armed robbery suspects, 82 kidnap suspects, 78 suspected cultists and 6 vandals. 52 assorted firearms and 600 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

Mr. Indabawa added that 42 stolen vehicles and motorbikes were recovered during the period following raids of 22 criminal hideouts.

He said the achievement came because of the cooperation of the police, the State Government, the mobile telephone service providers, and members of the public.

The commissioner called for the production of the national identification card for the citizens, saying the residential addresses given by arrested suspects had turned out to be false.

He said the command is committed to the protection of lives and property of the people.

NAN