The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has thwarted a planned large-scale attack on a community within the Territory, neutralizing three notorious bandits and recovering arms and ammunition during a coordinated tactical operation.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the breakthrough followed recent kidnapping incidents in ACO Community, Gwagwalada, and Bwari, which prompted the Commissioner of Police to direct the Anti-Kidnapping Unit to intensify operations against the syndicate behind the attacks.
Intelligence later revealed that the criminal gang had concluded plans to launch another violent operation on or before December 1, 2025, aiming to abduct residents and demand ransom.
Acting on the intelligence, operatives traced and arrested a key conspirator, a wanted kidnap suspect identified as Sani Mohammed Umar, popularly known as “Boko,” on November 30 at about 2:11 p.m. Police recovered his mobile phone, suspected to be the primary device used to coordinate their operations.
Investigations confirmed that Umar was part of the group responsible for previous attacks and kidnappings in ACO and Dupa communities in Gwagwalada, as well as robbery incidents across Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. He confessed that his gang members were waiting for him at Gada Biyu Hills, Kwali, where they were preparing for their next attack.
At about 11:01 p.m. the same day, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, led by its Officer-in-Charge, advanced into the forest and laid an ambush. The bandits opened fire upon sighting the police, prompting a fierce 30-minute gun duel during which three members of the gang were neutralized. Others fled with suspected gunshot wounds.
Recovered from the scene were:
- Three AK-47 rifles
- Three magazines loaded with 33 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition
A joint operation involving the Police and soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 176 Battalion, Kwali, is ongoing, with security teams combing the forest and blocking all escape routes. Hospitals in the area have been placed on alert to report anyone presenting with gunshot injuries.
The Commissioner of Police commended the gallantry and professionalism of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity via the dedicated lines: 08032003913 and 08061581938.
The Police reaffirmed their commitment to dismantling criminal networks across the FCT.