By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested 10 suspected kidnappers, armed robbery suspects and alleged suppliers of ammunition and illicit drugs to bandits during separate operations, recovering ₦8.25m ransom, live ammunition, vehicles, drugs and other exhibits.
The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi while briefing journalists on Tuesday, said the arrests followed intelligence-led operations targeting kidnapping syndicates, “one chance” gangs and criminal hideouts across the FCT and neighbouring Niger State.
According to him, operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit launched an investigation on June 29 after receiving a distress call over the abduction of a young woman in Maitama.
He said the kidnappers initially demanded ₦20m from the victim’s family but eventually collected ₦8.25m before releasing her on July 3 after taking her to Kwan-Kwashe Village in Niger State.
The police commissioner disclosed that sustained digital tracking led operatives to arrest six members of the gang in Suleja on July 5.
Those arrested were identified as the alleged gang leader, Ifeoma Nnamchi, 35; Peter Rasheed Onwunumah, 40; Olanipekun Anuoluwa, 46; Jemimah Monday, 25; Gabriel Nnamchi, 14; and Stanley Nnamchi, 17.
Police recovered the entire ₦8.25m ransom, two operational vehicles—a Toyota Corolla and a Toyota Camry—a cutlass, seven AirPods, several pieces of jewellery believed to belong to previous victims, five mobile phones and a laptop.
Investigations, according to the police, showed that the alleged gang leader and one of her accomplices had previously been arrested by the FCT Police Command in 2022 and 2019 for similar offences.
The suspects reportedly confessed that the syndicate had been operating along the Kubwa Expressway, Maitama Federal Housing Road and other parts of the FCT since 2024.
Police also alleged that the group admitted carrying out several “one chance” operations and, in their most recent attacks, kidnapped and robbed five female victims, collecting about ₦12.8m in ransom.
In a separate operation, the Command arrested four suspected kidnappers and alleged suppliers of ammunition and illicit drugs to bandits during clearance operations around Kwali, Abaji and Kuje Area Councils.
The suspects were identified as Bello Abdullahi, Shuaibu Iliya, Idris Abubakar and Misbahu Isa.
Police said one of the suspects, Misbahu Isa, led investigators to Zuba Motor Park where 42 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered from his Volkswagen Golf vehicle.
Investigators alleged that Isa supplied ammunition to kidnappers and bandits operating in Niger, Kaduna and Kogi states, claiming he recently delivered over 20,000 rounds of ammunition and received ₦3 million for the transaction.
Other items recovered during the operation included bottles of codeine-based syrups, cannabis, tramadol tablets and capsules, cash, a Tecno phone, assorted clothing, a magazine loaded with six rounds of live ammunition and other exhibits.
The Command also announced that intelligence-led raids on identified criminal black spots across the FCT within the past week resulted in the arrest of 560 suspects.
Items recovered during the raids included a locally fabricated pistol, a locally made AK-47 rifle and three rounds of 9mm live ammunition.
The Commissioner of Police said all suspects remain in custody and will be charged in court after investigations are concluded.
He assured residents that the Command would sustain its operations against criminal networks and urged members of the public to continue providing credible information to support efforts to combat crime across the Federal Capital Territory.
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