IGP narrates how Air Force strike paved way for ‘2Baba’s death’
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, recounted the crucial assistance provided by the Nigerian Air Force in the apprehension of a notorious criminal known as 2Baba in Rivers State.
IGP Disu made the comments during a meeting with Air Marshal S.K. Aneke, Chief of the Air Staff, who visited the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday. The purpose of the meeting was to enhance collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to address emerging security challenges.
Air Marshal Aneke praised the longstanding professional relationship between the two organizations and acknowledged the contributions of the NPF Air Wing to NAF operations. He underscored the importance of continued collaboration, especially regarding joint operations, intelligence sharing, and air support for police activities.
Discussions between the leaders focused on several key areas, including aerial surveillance and reconnaissance, tactical deployment, medical evacuations, joint training, and coordination to combat terrorism, banditry, insurgency, and other violent crimes.
IGP Disu emphasized the need for stronger protection of critical national infrastructure, improved logistics and response capabilities, and regular assessments of joint operations to enhance effectiveness. He shared a specific case from his tenure as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, where 2Baba’s criminal group killed a police officer, dismembering his body and distributing the remains in the area.
The IGP noted the strategic advantage the criminals had, operating from a dense forest that required crossing two rivers to reach. With intelligence support from the NAF, police forces identified the criminals’ movements, leading to a coordinated strike. Although 2Baba was not captured during that operation, the NAF’s intervention resulted in significant losses for the criminal group, disrupting their operations and ultimately facilitating the arrest of 2Baba and his associates.
IGP Disu expressed gratitude to the NAF for their support and reiterated the resolve to seek further avenues for collaboration between the two agencies in addressing security concerns across Nigeria.
