Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on Saturday arrested 92 suspects after a raid at the Art and Crafts village, which serves as the permanent site of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in Abuja.
The raid, it was gathered, followed intelligence reports of suspected criminal activities at the art village.
The police also recovered a rifle and substances believed to be Indian hemps from the operation.
The raid, according to the police, was carried out at about 4am on by men attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Federal Capital Territory Command.
The Command said it became necessary to rid the site of criminal elements that have been terrorising the FCT, using the permanent site of the NCAC as hideout.
The suspects, it said, were in custody and awaiting charge to court.
Residents of the FCT commended the police for acting promptly following observation of management of the NCAC the village was being used by some criminal elements under the guise of selling artworks to perpetrate crimes.
Command spokesman, DSP Anjuguri Manzah said: “The operation is part of efforts by the police to fight crime within and outside the FCT by massively reducing the spate of armed robbery, serial car snatching, incidences of kidnapping and other unwholesome activities going on in the FCT and the country by extension.
“The suspects are currently in our custody undergoing screening and those found culpable would be prosecuted while those found to be innocent will be set free in accordance with the law.”
Director-General of NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, since assumption last year has been making spirited efforts with the police to sanitise the Arts and Crafts village.
