The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested four suspects allegedly planning attacks on government institutions and residential estates in Abuja on Independence Day. The suspects were apprehended in the Sauka area of the FCT following an intelligence report on their criminal activities.
In a statement released on Thursday, the FCT Police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, identified the suspects as Yau Sani, also known as Baba (an ex-convict), Nuhu (alias Giwa), Kabiru Mohammed, and Yusuf Hassan. The suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in multiple kidnappings across the FCT, Kaduna, and Niger states, where they also admitted to killing seven of their victims.
“The Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the FCT Police Command, acting on credible intelligence, trailed and arrested four notorious kidnappers who have been terrorizing the Federal Capital Territory,” said Adeh. She added that the suspects had been operating from their hideout in Sauka, Abuja, and had blended into the local population.
The police investigation revealed that the gang was responsible for a series of violent kidnappings in locations such as Dakwa, Dawaki, Aco Estate, Dupe Village, Zuma Rock, and Kuchiko Village. Following their arrest, the suspects led police operatives to a forest in Niger State, where they had concealed weapons, including four AK-47 rifles and 175 rounds of ammunition.
Further investigation led the operatives to another hideout in Gauraka Forest, Suleja, Niger State, where additional weapons were recovered. These included four AK-47 rifles, 13 magazines, and 162 rounds of live ammunition.
The suspects also revealed plans to launch attacks on key government institutions and residential estates within the FCT, a plot that was thwarted by the police.
The FCT Police Command reassured the public of its ongoing efforts to combat crime in the capital. The command urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to police emergency lines, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining security within the territory.