Police Eliminate Three Bandits In Abuja, Prevent Planned Kidnap Operation

According to Ireporter Online, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has thwarted a major kidnapping plot in Abuja, killing three suspected bandits and recovering multiple weapons during a coordinated sting operation. The development follows a series of recent abductions recorded in the ACO community, Gwagwalada, and Bwari.

Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed in a statement on Monday that the successful operation stemmed from intensified efforts ordered by the Commissioner of Police to dismantle a syndicate linked to recurring attacks across the territory. She explained that actionable intelligence revealed that the group was preparing to launch another violent abduction attempt on or before December 1, 2025.

Acting on this intelligence, police operatives arrested a key suspect, identified as Sani Mohammed Umar (alias Boko), on November 30 at about 2:11 p.m. His mobile phone, believed to be the primary tool for coordinating the gang’s criminal activities, was also recovered. Investigations reportedly confirmed his involvement in several kidnapping and armed robbery incidents in communities such as ACO, Dupa, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

Adeh said the suspect confessed that his accomplices were waiting for him at Gada Biyu Hills, Kwali, where they had gathered ahead of their next attack. Based on this information, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit advanced into the forest late Saturday night.

At about 11:01 p.m., operatives reached the gang’s meeting point and mounted an ambush. The suspects allegedly opened fire upon sighting the police, sparking a 30-minute gun battle. Three members of the gang were killed during the confrontation, while others escaped with gunshot wounds. Recovered items included three AK-47 rifles, three magazines and 33 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

Adeh added that a joint operation involving the Forward Operation Base of the Nigerian Army, 176 Battalion, Kwali, was ongoing to comb the forest and seal possible escape routes. Medical facilities within the axis have also been instructed to alert authorities if anyone reports with bullet wounds.

The Commissioner of Police commended the operatives for their bravery and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity promptly.

The recent breakthrough comes just days after an FCT police officer was killed while responding to an attempted kidnapping in Guto Village, a border community in Bwari. According to reports, about 30 armed men stormed the area and attempted to force their way into a residence. Security forces engaged the attackers in a shootout, killing two suspects, while several others fled. A police officer who sustained injuries during the exchange later died at Bwari General Hospital.