The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested seven suspects linked to kidnapping, armed robbery, murder and the supply of ammunition to terrorists and bandits during separate operations across Abuja and neighbouring states.
The suspects include three alleged kidnappers, two suspects linked to the kidnapping and murder of a 22-year-old man, a wanted ammunition supplier and his sister, who police say is involved in supplying ammunition to criminal groups.
Two suspected one-chance robbers were also arrested during an anti-crime patrol operation.
The arrests were announced by the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Sanusi during a briefing on the Command’s recent operations, which also led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, ammunition, mobile phones, knives and other exhibits.
Speaking on the arrest of the suspected kidnappers, Sanusi said the operation followed the circulation of videos on social media showing armed men dressed in military camouflage and displaying assault rifles.
“My attention was drawn to videos circulating on social media depicting four unidentified individuals in possession of AK-47 rifles, ammunition, and walkie-talkies, openly brandishing the weapons in videos and pictures dressed in military camouflage.
“I immediately directed a detailed forensic analysis into the origin of the content and ordered the immediate arrest of all persons connected to the videos and pictures.”
He said digital forensic analysis and intelligence gathering led operatives of the FCT Police VCRU Sector 5 and personnel from Zuba Division to Runji Village in Zuba, where three suspects were arrested on May 25.
The suspects were identified as Umar Babangida, 25; Adamu Yeti, 22; and Yahaya Idris, 24, all residents of Rijana in Kaduna State.
According to police investigations, the suspects had allegedly obtained the rifle from a gang leader identified as “Esco”, who remains at large.
Investigators also reportedly recovered videos and photographs from the suspects’ phones showing them dressed in military camouflage while carrying rifles and walkie-talkies.
Sanusi said one AK-47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition, eight mobile phones, two jackknives, power banks and other incriminating materials were recovered from the suspects.
He noted that efforts were ongoing to apprehend the alleged gang leader and recover additional weapons.
On the murder investigation, Sanusi said operatives began tracking suspects after a complaint was lodged at the Apo Divisional Headquarters concerning the disappearance of Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, 22, who had been missing since April 21.
Working with the Benue State Police Command, Sanuai said officers arrested Emmanuel Acha Leku, 32, a Cameroonian national, alongside his girlfriend, Kazan Vincent, in Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.
Investigations revealed that Leku allegedly accused the deceased of withholding proceeds from a fraudulent scheme in which they were involved.
She said the suspect allegedly lured the victim to a mountainous area in Lokogoma, killed him and later demanded a ransom of N5m from family members using the deceased’s phone in an attempt to disguise the crime as a kidnapping.
Further investigations showed that the suspect fled to Benue State after the incident and was allegedly planning to escape to Cameroon before his arrest.
He also recovered two mobile phones from the suspect, including one belonging to the deceased.
The Command added that it had traced and recovered the decomposing remains of the victim, which have been deposited at Sahad Hospital, Apo, for autopsy.
In another operation, police arrested Yau Sule, a suspected ammunition supplier who had been wanted by the Command since 2023.
He was apprehended on June 2 while travelling along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.
Providing further details, Sanusi said officers recovered 81 rounds of 7.62mm live AK-47 ammunition and 100 rounds of 7.62mm belted ammunition intended for a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).
Police said the suspect subsequently led operatives to the arrest of his sister, Maria Sule, whom investigators accused of assisting in the supply of ammunition to terrorists and bandits.
The Command alleged that Maria is married to Buhari Shuaibu, a wanted bandit accused of terrorising communities in the FCT, Kaduna and Niger states.
Preliminary investigations linked the suspects to a network supplying logistics and ammunition to armed groups operating across parts of North-Central Nigeria and border communities around the FCT.
Meanwhile, operatives attached to the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested two suspected one-chance robbers after responding to a distress call from a female victim along the Giri-Lugbe Road on May 15.
Police said the victim reported that she had been robbed and abandoned by the suspects.
A swift chase led to the interception of a Volkswagen Golf vehicle carrying Muhammed Muhammed, 22, and Muhammed Saidu, 20.
Items recovered from the vehicle included a laptop, an iPhone, a laptop charger, two knives and a pair of scissors.
The Command noted that investigations into the various cases were ongoing and urged residents to continue providing useful information to security agencies to support crime-fighting efforts.
