The Federal Capital Territory Police Command announced that its special forces, along with the Guards Brigade and DSS hunters, raided identified kidnappers’ camps in Gidan Dogo and Kweti Forest, Kaduna State, arresting four suspects.
According to a statement released on Sunday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, the operation took place on Friday as part of ongoing efforts to combat criminality in the FCT.
The arrested suspects are Yahaya Abubakar, 25, of Mpape; Mohammed Mohamed, 32, of Zuba (an ex-convict); Umar Aliyu, 20; and Nura Abdullahi, 32, also an ex-convict from Kubwa and Zuba Hills respectively.
Adeh stated that the suspects freely confessed to being members of a notorious bandit syndicate known as ‘Mai One Million,’ responsible for numerous kidnappings and other heinous crimes in the FCT and its surrounding areas.
She mentioned that the coordinated operation led to a shootout between the bandits and security operatives, forcing the bandits to flee and resulting in the rescue of victims.
She added that the illegally erected structures by the kidnappers in all the patrolled camps, were all decimated.
“While the rescued victims have since been reunited with their families and loved ones, the commissioner of police, FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh, psc, mni, lauded the effort of the security operatives in the fight against criminality in the Nation’s Capital.
“He further reiterates the command’s unflinching commitment to ensuring the security and safety of the residents of FCT,” the statement added.