Following the recent establishment of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) by Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, police have captured 16 renowned offenders and recovered rifles and ammunition in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Among the suspects displayed on Saturday were three Bwari-based kidnappers: Idris Ishaku, 27, Bala Umar, 27, and Dahiru Salisu, 27, who have been responsible for a series of violent robberies and kidnappings in the Bwari Local Government Area and other parts of Abuja.
In a statement, Force Spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said the united team of operatives apprehended 13 people for a variety of crimes.
“Amongst the achievements recorded is the foiling of another kidnap plot through technical intelligence resulting in the arrest of the above-named Bwari-based kidnappers, and weapons recovered from them,” the statement read.
Outrage trailed the abduction of six siblings and their father in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja on January 3, 2024. The kidnappers reportedly killed one of the sisters identified as Nabeehah after their parents couldn’t meet the deadline for payment of N60 million ransom.
Adejobi said policemen have been on the trail of criminals and some arrests have been made.
“In a proactive move, following a report on the abduction of a victim from his house along with his Hilux Van with Reg. No. RBC 90 DL Gray colour by four armed men who disguised in a white Mercedez Benz 230 car, Police Operatives in an intelligence-propelled investigation discovered that the victim was being taken to Kano State, but was dispossessed of his ATM cards at Kaduna while the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) was transferred from his account,” he said.
“The suspects however ran out of luck as they were intercepted by Police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna where three of them escaped, while one by the name Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael was arrested, the victim rescued unhurt, and the said Hilux Van recovered. It was discovered that Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and his accomplices had earlier been arrested sometime in November 2023 and charged for similar offences, at the High Court, Kwali, Abuja, but went back to committing even worse crimes while on court bail.
“Also, operatives of the DFI-IRT office intercepted one Everest Magaji, a gunrunner, during negotiation with some notorious bandits who are currently at large, for the purchase and supply of illicit firearms and ammunition. Eleven (11) Pistols, and Two (2) Pump Action Guns were recovered from the suspect.”