Police arrest 82 suspects, foil multiple kidnapping, robbery attempts in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command says it arrested 82 suspects and thwarted multiple kidnapping and robbery attempts between May 1 and June 30, 2025, following an intelligence-driven action plan that targeted crime hotspots across Abuja

This was disclosed by Ajao Adewale, Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, during a press briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

The briefing highlighted the Command’s efforts in line with the directives of Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector-General of Police to curb crime and ensure the safety of residents in the nation’s capital.

According to the Commissioner, the two-month period saw the successful arrest of 82 suspects linked to 49 reported criminal cases across various parts of the FCT.

The Command’s operations included targeted patrols, proactive crime mapping, and rapid response to incidents, which collectively disrupted kidnapping rings, robbery operations, and other violent crimes.

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Among the key achievements, the Police foiled five attempted kidnapping operations in areas such as Apo Waru, Byhazin, Karshi, Kawo-Bwari, and Gidan-Dogo Forest in Kweri and Abaji.

“During one of these operations, three suspects were arrested while three others were neutralized during a gunfight at Kawo village clinic in Bwari”, Adewale said.

The Command also said that it responded to seven confirmed kidnapping incidents, resulting in the arrest of 17 suspects and the neutralisation of three others.

“In separate operations, five armed robbery cases led to the arrest of another 17 suspects, while five cases of foiled robbery, four in Kubwa and one in Apo, resulted in the arrest of six suspects and the recovery of four vehicles, military camouflage, a jackknife, and pistol ammunition”, he reported.

According to him, efforts to tackle theft yielded six arrests linked to six reported cases, while five suspects were nabbed in connection with four car thefts involving illegal scrap dealers known for butchering and reselling stolen vehicles.

“One suspect was arrested for illegal possession of firearms, and another individual was taken into custody for attempted homicide, with a locally fabricated pump-action shotgun and an expended cartridge recovered”, he added

In addition, the Police arrested four suspects in connection with a “one-chance” robbery case and apprehended two others for fraud-related offences.

The Command also handled four cases of child trafficking, arresting eight suspects.

“Twelve rape cases were recorded during the period, with ten suspects arrested and four cases still under investigation. Two cases of domestic violence were also reported”, he added.

Adewale also noted that rescue operations during this period were equally significant as three children were rescued from trafficking networks, ten rape victims received timely intervention, and eight abandoned babies were recovered and handed over to the Social Welfare Centre for care and protection.

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“In terms of arms and ammunition recovered, the police seized a cache that included three AK-47 rifles with magazines, two LAR rifles, one Beretta pistol, one locally made pistol with a magazine, a pump-action shotgun, and 36 rounds of live ammunition.

“Other items recovered from robbery scenes included an axe, nine walkie-talkies, a sharp spear, and a short knife”, he stated.

The Command further said that exhibits recovered from theft and robbery suspects included one air conditioning unit, two motorcycles, 27 iron rods, nine mobile phones, eleven power banks, three AirPods, a smartwatch, eight ATM cards, six phone chargers, and a generator set.

A jackknife used in a foiled robbery attempt and ₦79,000 in cash were also recovered during investigations.

“In total, ten stolen vehicles were recovered through the efforts of the Durumi Division, Kubwa Division, Central Police Station, and the Anti-One-Chance Squad. Additionally, two motorcycles linked to kidnapping suspects were seized”, he noted.