Police bust kidnapping syndicate operating on Abuja-Lokoja highway, arrest 3
Police operatives of the FCT Police Command have arrested three bandits for making criminal/kidnapping encroachment into Abuja area.
The bandits were said to have concluded plans to turn the Abuja-Lokoja highway to a den of kidnappers and bandits, but intelligence operatives who were proactive, busted their camp.
The police was said to have lost some of its operatives during the offensive against the bandits.
The suspects were arrested with RPG rifle, 13 magazines and other assorted arms.
Police sources said the Rocket Propelked Grenade rifle has a rate of fire of 4-6 rounds per minute at a range of 5 meters and has a sighting range of a maximum 900 meters.
Confirming the development, FCT CP Sunday Babaji said, “On May 12, 2022 at around 10:00pm, in a streak of operations targeted at fishing out, sweeping, and dislodging bandits, Kidnappers, and miscreants from their hideouts, at the suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) the Command’s’ Anti-kidnapping unit in a concerted effort with the local hunters, Destiny hunters, and Vigilantes, Stormed a kidnappers camp in Zago Forest, Niger State bothering FCT via Adagba Village Abuja.
“Upon sighting the gallant approach of the combined team, the miscreants engaged the Team in a gun duel. Being overpowered, two suspected Bandits namely Rabiu Umar (a.k.a Mallam) an 18 year-old, and Abdulmuni Haruna (a.k.a Alibaba) a 20 years old, were arrested, while many escaped the camp with bullet wounds.
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“The Team dislodged the camp, rescued one Usman Isah a 23 years old male of Lapai village Niger State who had been in captivity for 20 days and recovered three AK 47 Riffles with breeches No. 5662, 088425-89, and NK 6172 with Seven (7) Magazines containing eighteen (18) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, and One GPMG with 101 MG rounds.
“The Operation followed intelligence gathered from a Sting Operation earlier executed on March 8, 2022 at about 07:00pm where the combined Team stormed the forest in pursuit of Bandits sighted along Magaji Forest bordering Abuja/Niger State.
“The team defeated the miscreants in a gun duel using a superior gunfire leading to the arrest of one Ibrahim Usman (a.k.a Babuba) a 27 years old, of the kwali Area council of the FCT, while others escaped with various degrees of gun wounds.
“The Team continued their onward crusade, combing the forests aggressively.
“On May 13, 2022, at about 8:00pm the team Stormed a Bandit camp at Mayaki forest via Adagba Village, Yaba district Abaji Area Council of the FCT, overpowering the Bandits with superior firepower, leading to the recovery of One AK49 Riffle with breach no: 165151 with 8 magazines and 12 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and one locally made Pistol.”
“The Operation recorded in total the arrest of three (3) suspects, the rescue of one survivor, the recovery of one (1) Ak49 Riffle, three (3) AK47 Riffles, Thirteen (13) Magazine, 30 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one (1) GPMG and 101 round of live MG ammunition.
‘All suspects arrested in this streak of operations admitted to be Bandits/ Kidnappers.
“Effort is ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects and upon the conclusion of the investigation, suspects will be charged to court.”
CP Babaji staed that in times like this when crime is dynamic and evolving, it is pertinent to say that the Command is also on the drawing board constantly reviewing and redesigning the security architecture of the Territory to match up and surpass the dynamics of crime.
