The Nigeria Police Force has announced the arrest of 11 individuals suspected of participating in “one chance” robbery within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
During a news conference held on Wednesday in Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made this announcement.
Adejobi disclosed that among the recovered items were a POS machine and a Mazda Saloon car bearing Registration Number KUJ 887 BQ.
He stated that the suspects, comprising seven females and four males, were apprehended on February 19 following intelligence received by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
Adejobi mentioned that intelligence received on January 16 had unveiled the activities of “one chance” robbers in various locations including Gwagwalada, Area 1, AYA, Giri, and Wuse axes within the FCT.
He further explained that police operatives promptly tracked down the criminals and apprehended them at their hideout in the Karmo area of the FCT.
“Upon their arrest and consequent interrogation, the suspects confessed to be involved in “one-chance” operations and have been running them for over a year,” he said.
Adejobi mentioned that four of the suspects were apprehended alongside their spouses, who reportedly confessed to their involvement in the criminal activity.
He explained that the suspects’ modus operandi involved having four of their accomplices seated in the back of the car, with one individual in the front alongside the driver.
“They will make sure that the front seat occupied by one of their members is adjusted to ensure that it will not be comfortable for their expected victim to sit with their member.
“Once they get their victim and open the front door for her to enter, it will be so uncomfortable that, the knees of the two persons occupying the front seat will be touching the dashboard of the car.
“At this time, they will tell their victim to come down so that they can adjust the chair, and in the process, one of them will offer to hold her bag so that they can adjust the seat.
“While adjusting the chair and offering to hold a bag for the victim, they will steal her phone.
“Once they succeed in stealing the phone, they will tell the victim that they are not going in her direction again and will zoom off before she realises that her phone has been stolen,” he said.
He mentioned that with the phone, the criminals could access and withdraw all the funds from their victim’s account.
Adejobi also disclosed that IRT operatives apprehended 10 suspects on February 9 for criminal conspiracy, transborder gunrunning, and illegal firearm fabrication.
The police spokesperson stated that two AK-47 rifles, nine automatic pistols, and 1,800 rounds of live ammunition were seized from the suspects.
He further noted that the arrests were made based on intelligence indicating the existence of a syndicate of transborder gunrunners operating from Plateau to other regions of the country.
Adejobi added that the suspects were involved in supplying arms and ammunition to criminal elements beyond the country’s borders.
“During investigation, it came to light that one of the suspects is a transborder arms and ammunition supplier based in Cross River.
“He usually gets supplies of AK47 rifles, ammunition, and rocket launchers from four other suspects based in Plateau, who in turn supply the same to some rebels and other criminal elements in a neighbouring country.
“One of the suspects has confessed to having sold four AK-47 rifles belonging to his late father, who was a police officer, instead of handing them over to legal authorities.
“He has also confessed that the others he has sold were locally fabricated by him,” he said.
Adejobi reported that the police have detained 92 individuals for armed robbery and 153 for kidnapping in the last two weeks.
He mentioned that 35 kidnapped victims were successfully rescued, and seven stolen vehicles were retrieved.
Additionally, nine other individuals were apprehended for involvement in cultism, with law enforcement recovering 44 firearms and 477 rounds of ammunition of different calibers.