Operatives of the FCT Police Command have arrested three bandits reportedly making encroachment into Abuja area.
It was gathered that the bandits had planned to turn the Abuja-Lokoja highway to a den of kidnappers and bandits, but intelligence operatives were proactive and busted their camp.
It was gathered that the police lost some of its operatives during the onslaught against the bandits.
The suspects were arrested with RPG rifle, 13 magazines and other assorted arms.
According to the Commissioner of Police, CP Sunday Babaji, “on May 12, 2022 at around 10:00pm, in a streak of operations targeted at fishing out, sweeping, and dislodging bandits, Kidnappers, and miscreants from their hideouts, at the suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) the Command’s’ Anti-kidnapping unit in a concerted effort with the local hunters, Destiny hunters, and Vigilantes, Stormed a kidnappers camp in Zago Forest, Niger State bothering FCT via Adagba Village Abuja.
“Upon sighting the gallant approach of the combined team, the miscreants engaged the Team in a gun duel. Being overpowered, two suspected Bandits namely Rabiu Umar (a.k.a Mallam) an 18 year-old, and Abdulmuni Haruna (a.k.a Alibaba) a 20 years old, were arrested, while many escaped the camp with bullet wounds.
“The Team dislodged the camp, rescued one Usman Isah a 23 years old male of Lapai village Niger State who had been in captivity for 20 days and the recovered Three AK 47 Riffles with breeches No. 5662, 088425-89, and NK 6172 with Seven (7) Magazines containing eighteen (18) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, and One GPMG with 101 MG rounds.
“The Operation followed intelligence gathered from a Sting Operation earlier executed on March 8, 2022 at about 07:00pm where the combined Team stormed the forest in pursuit of Bandits sighted along Magaji Forest bordering Abuja/Niger State.
“The team defeated the miscreants in a gun duel using a superior gunfire leading to the arrest of one Ibrahim Usman (a.k.a Babuba) a 27 years old, of the kwali Area council of the FCT, while others escaped with various degrees of gun wounds.
“The Team continued their onward crusade, combing the forests aggressively. On May 13, 2022, at about 8:00pm the team Stormed a Bandit camp at Mayaki forest via Adagba Village, Yaba district Abaji Area Council of the FCT, overpowering the Bandits with superior firepower, leading to the recovery of One AK49 Riffle with breach no: 165151 with 8 magazines and 12 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and one locally made Pistol.”
“The Operation recorded in total the arrest of three (3) suspects, the rescue of one survivor, the recovery of one (1) Ak49 Riffle, Three (3) AK47 Riffles, Thirteen (13) Magazine, 30 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one (1) GPMG and 101 round of live MG ammunition. All suspects arrested in this streak of operations admitted to be Bandits/ Kidnappers.
“Effort is ongoing to apprehend fleeing suspects and upon the conclusion of the investigation, suspects will be charged to court.”
Babaji noted that in times like this when crime is dynamic and evolving, it is pertinent to say that the Command is also on the drawing board constantly reviewing and redesigning the security architecture of the Territory to match up and surpass the dynamics of crime.
Relatedly, the command paraded suspected killers of Terungwa Stephenie a 26-year-old Corpmember who resides in City homes estate Lokogoma one Edward Achadu.
She had left home with her 1 year, 5-month-old son on April 14, 2022 and never returned home.
A day later, the son was recovered at Holy Trinity Catholic Church upon a call placed through to one of the Paternal relatives.
Painstaking investigations by Tactical and Intelligence assets of the Command attached to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) led to the arrest of three suspects; Jenifer Tsembe a 26 years old lady, Monday Simon (a.k.a Black) a 36, and Solomon Abu, 35, all residents of Oguta lake, Maitama area of the FCT, who criminally conspired and murdered the victim to separate her from Edward Achadu, so that Jenifer Tsembe one of the suspects and an estranged lover of Edward could have him all to herself, especially for pecuniary benefits.