The police on Saturday paraded 16 suspected notorious criminals from whom a significant arsenal of arms and ammunition including a general purpose machine gun (GPMG) were recovered in the FCT.
Police Spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said those arrested include three Bwari-based kidnappers accused of carrying out violent crimes.
Adejobi said the arrests followed the recent launch of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun as a significant stride towards fortifying the security landscape in the FCT.
The police Spokesman further noted that the successful arrests were possible through collaborative efforts with the Department of Force Intelligence – Intelligence Response Team (DFI-IRT), the FCT Command Anti-Violent Crimes Section, the Anti-kidnapping Section and other State Commands.
The suspects paraded include three (3) Bwari-based suspected kidnappers – Idris Ishaku, Bala Umar, and Dahiru Salisu who are all males and 27 years old respectively.
Adejobi said the trio was responsible for a series of armed robbery and kidnapping cases in the Bwari Local Government Area and other parts of Abuja.
Similarly, the combined team of operatives arrested 13 suspects for various other crimes.
He listed other achievements recorded by the police as the foiling of another kidnap plot through technical intelligence resulting in the arrest of the suspected Bwari-based kidnappers, and weapons recovered from them.
In a proactive move, following a report on the abduction of a victim from his house along with his Hilux Van with Reg. No. RBC 90 DL Gray colour by four armed men who disguised in a white Mercedez Benz 230 car, Police Operatives in an intelligence-propelled investigation discovered that the victim was being taken to Kano State, but was dispossessed of his ATM cards at Kaduna while the sum of N500,000.00 was transferred from his account.
The suspects however ran out of luck as they were intercepted by Police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna where three of them escaped, while one by the name of Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael was arrested, the victim was rescued unhurt, and the said Hilux Van recovered.
It was discovered that Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and his accomplices had earlier been arrested sometime in November 2023 and charged for similar offences, at the High Court, Kwali, Abuja, but went back to committing even worse crimes while on court bail.
Also, operatives of the DFI-IRT office intercepted one Everest Magaji, a gunrunner, during negotiation with some notorious bandits who are currently at large, for the purchase and supply of illicit firearms and ammunition.
Eleven (11) Pistols, and Two (2) Pump Action Guns were recovered from the suspect.
Adejobi said the achievements recorded through these relentless operations demonstrate the commitment of the police under the leadership of IGP Egbetokun to ensure the country becomes a safe haven for all to inhabit.
The IGP urged all citizens to be very observant of their environs and the people in it, and report any suspicious activity immediately to the police.
