Police Arrest 3 Suspected Kidnappers Wearing Military Camouflage In Abuja

The arrests are part of broader security operations that also led to the apprehension of suspects linked to kidnapping, culpable homicide, armed robbery, and the supply of ammunition to terrorists and bandit groups.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this while parading the suspects at the Command Headquarters in Abuja on Friday.

Sanusi explained that the operation was launched following the circulation of videos on social media showing four unidentified men openly displaying AK-47 rifles, ammunition, and walkie-talkies while dressed in military attire. Acting on digital forensic intelligence and surveillance, operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit, in collaboration with personnel from the Zuba Division, stormed Runji Village in Zuba on May 25, 2026, where three suspects were arrested.

The suspects were identified as Umar Babangida, 25; Adamu Yeti, 22; and Yahaya Idris, 24, all from Rijana in Kaduna State. Investigations revealed that the suspects had previously obtained AK-47 rifles from a gang leader known only as “Esco,” who is currently at large.

Further forensic analysis of their mobile devices reportedly uncovered images and videos showing the suspects brandishing firearms while dressed in camouflage and using communication equipment. Items recovered from them include one AK-47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition, eight mobile phones, two jackknives, power banks, and other incriminating materials.

The police commissioner added that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing gang leader and dismantle the wider criminal network.

In a separate operation, operatives attached to the Apo Division arrested two suspects over the kidnapping and murder of 22-year-old Emmanuel Chukwuemeka. The case was reported on May 2, 2026, after the victim’s family reported him missing since April 21.

Sanusi stated that through coordinated intelligence efforts with the Benue State Police Command, investigators tracked and arrested Emmanuel Acha Leku, 32, a Cameroonian national, alongside his girlfriend, Kazan Vincent, in Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

Investigations allegedly showed that the principal suspect had previously engaged in fraudulent dealings with the deceased, and a dispute over funds led to the fatal incident. The victim was reportedly lured to a remote area in Lokogoma, Abuja, where he was killed. The suspect then allegedly used the victim’s phone to demand a ransom of five million naira from his family to disguise the murder as a kidnapping.

Police further confirmed the recovery of two mobile phones, including that of the deceased, as well as the exhumation of his decomposing remains, which have been deposited for autopsy.

In another development, the Command arrested a wanted suspect, Yau Sule, from Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who had been on the Command’s wanted list since 2023. He was apprehended on June 2, 2026, along the Abuja–Kaduna Highway with ammunition including 81 rounds of 7.62mm AK-47 bullets and 100 rounds of belted ammunition for a general-purpose machine gun.

Investigations also led to the arrest of his sister, Maria Sule, who is reportedly linked to a wanted bandit involved in coordinated attacks across the FCT, Kaduna, and Niger States.

The police further noted progress in tackling “one-chance” robbery incidents. On May 15, 2026, officers intercepted a blue Volkswagen Golf along the Giri–Lugbe Road after a victim raised an alarm. Two suspects were arrested, and stolen items including a laptop, iPhone, and chargers were recovered alongside weapons allegedly used in the operation.

Sanusi said investigations are ongoing as the Command continues efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating within and around the FCT.