The police said on Tuesday they have apprehended 72 suspects across the country for a range of criminal activities including kidnapping, murder, car theft, banditry, unlawful possession of firearms, gun trafficking, and various other offenses.
During a media briefing in Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed that the arrests were made over the past two weeks.
Adejobi stated that out of the 72 suspects apprehended, 34 were detained on charges related to kidnapping, resulting in the rescue and reunion of 22 kidnapped victims with their families.
Additionally, the authorities recovered a significant amount of items from the suspects, including 10 sets of military camouflage uniforms, 10 camel packs, 12 military hats, three cardigans, three T-shirts, two belts, and three anklets.
Among the confiscated weapons were six AK 49 rifles, two SMGs, one locally fabricated AK 47 rifle, a revolver, 290 rounds of AK 47 live ammunition, four AK 47 magazines, and two SMG magazines.
Furthermore, two pump action rifles, a Dane gun, two Volkswagen Golf cars, bags containing various illicit drugs, N2.2 million in cash, and other dangerous weapons were seized from the suspects.
Adejobi also mentioned that, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives conducted a successful manhunt leading to the arrest of a suspect for illegal possession of prohibited firearms in Kaduna within the same timeframe.
The police spokesperson stated that the individual was apprehended on February 22 and has admitted to possessing a locally made firearm stored in the possession of his acquaintance.
He further disclosed that the suspect confessed to being a former member of a kidnapping gang and being involved in numerous abduction incidents, although he never received a portion of the ransom collected by the gang leader.
“This prompted him to steal the weapon from the group with the intent of eventually forming his own crew,” Adejobi said.
He further noted that officers from the FCT Command intercepted and detained an individual on February 9 around 12:55 a.m., while traveling in a Toyota Hiace bus bearing Registration Number APP 489 XE.
Adejobi explained that the suspect was transporting 12 underage children—four boys and eight girls—destined for Ogun State.
Preliminary investigations conducted by the police spokesperson revealed that the children, aged between 5 and 16 years old and hailing from Nasarawa State, were allegedly being trafficked to Ogun.
He mentioned that two additional suspects have been apprehended in connection with the incident, and efforts are underway to reunite the children with their respective families.
Additionally, Adejobi reported another operation where the FCT Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command arrested six individuals suspected of involvement in kidnapping on February 2.
He said the suspects were apprehended in a hotel at Bassa Village along Airport Road, following actionable intelligence.
“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being responsible for the abduction of one Joshua Eze on Jan. 27, 2023, around Sabon Lugbe, where the wife suffered a bullet injury in the process of her husband’s abduction.
“Efforts by the operatives led to the successful rescue of Eze on January 28.
“One AK-47 rifle, three cutlasses, 10 mobile phones, cash sum of N345,000, and other valuables were recovered from the suspects,” he added.