The 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, recorded 2,241 robbery cases in 2015, according to an official record obtained exclusively by SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja on Friday.
Conversely, the nation recorded 2,841 robbery cases in 2014 and 2,988 in 2013.
It also recorded 1,827 rape cases, including 886 kidnappings last year.
The crime record indicates that Taraba State had the highest rate of 301 robbery incidents followed by Ebonyi with 144.
Benue came third with 107 reported incidents of armed robbery followed by Katsina with 102 cases. Other states with high robbery record include, Bauchi 98, Bayelsa 95, Oyo 95, Ogun 89, Lagos 87, Kwara 76 and Kano 61.
Other states with relatively moderate crime rate were, Plateau 45; Rivers 45; ,Kogi 46; Borno 57; Ekiti 58; Gombe 52; Kaduna 55; Niger 57 and Zamfara 52.
States with low crime record include Cross River 9; Jigawa 18; Enugu 20; Imo 22; Osun 26; Sokoto 33; Yobe 33; Kebbi 33; Nasarawa 34; Adamawa 27; Abia 30; FCT 31; Delta 37; Edo 38; Anambra 39 and Akwa Ibom, 41.
Lagos was on top of the rape record in 2015 with 513 cases, followed by Delta, 205; Kano 189; Katsina 120; Ogun 76; Ondo 68 and Edo, 55.
Others are FCT 44; Ebonyi 41; Cross River 40; Bauchi 38; Oyo 35; Kaduna 33; Anambra 33; Bayelsa 31; Niger 29; Enugu 28; Plateau 25; Yobe and Zamfara, 21; Borno 20; Jigawa 18; Imo 17, Kogi 15 and Gombe 12.
States that recorded low rape incidents include Taraba 9, Benue 6; Adamawa and Kebbi 7, Ekiti 8, and Abia 10.
The statistics however showed that the nation recorded 1,959 rape cases in 2014 and 1,788 in 2013.
Rivers State recorded the highest incidents of kidnapping in 2015 with 294 reported cases, followed by Lagos, 142; Ebonyi 79; Ekiti 56; Ogun 52; Benue 41; Taraba 24 and Adamawa 38.
Others are Taraba 24; Delta 15; Borno and Niger 12; Oyo 13 and Ondo, Kwara and Bayelsa 10.
Five states namely, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Osun and Yobe recorded zero incident of kidnapping.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Donald Awunah, said the crime rate had not increased, adding that what had increased were the frequency of specific crimes like ‘confidence tricks’ and kidnapping, which he said, were becoming endemic.
He explained that the police had conducted a geo-mapping of crime in the country to know the crimes that were specific to certain geo-political zones.
He added that the force was “ramping up its intelligence gathering capabilities and also collaborating with other security services to check crimes before they occurred”.
He said, “We are also encouraging the public to be part of policing decisions by providing useful information and tips to the police.”
He argued that the police were dealing with criminals, noting that crimes like highway robbery had reduced because Nigerians were no longer moving around with cash.
“There is fear of crime, not crime itself; the fact that you think you could be kidnapped which may subject you to mental torture and agony. So, what is going on is stealing of human beings and this is heightening fears, but we are working hard to stay ahead of the criminals,” Awunah assured.
– PUNCH
