The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has apprehended five suspected members of a kidnapping and banditry syndicate operating around Abuja, including a pregnant woman accused of supplying food and logistics to the gang and their victims.
According to The Punch, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this while presenting the suspects to journalists in Abuja on Monday.
Sanusi explained that the arrests were made after a clearance operation carried out in the Byazin area of the FCT on June 11, 2026, during which security operatives arrested some bandits, neutralised others and rescued abducted victims.
According to the police commissioner, one of the suspects, Hauwa Shafiu, was heavily pregnant when she was arrested but allegedly remained actively involved in supporting the criminal group.
“As a follow-up to that operation, upon further engagements, we stormed a suspected bandit and kidnapper’s hideout within the same area and arrested some suspects. One of the suspects, Shafiu, operates as a logistics supplier and cook for the criminal gang and their hostages.
“She was heavily pregnant at the time of her arrest, even though her pregnancy did not deter her from continuously committing this heinous crime,” the commissioner said.
Sanusi further stated that the suspect was immediately taken to the hospital after her arrest, where she later delivered her baby.
“The baby is sound and safe. She too is sound. We have provided every medical need while we watch her recuperate,” he said.
He noted that Shafiu is still receiving treatment at the police clinic.
Other suspects arrested include Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa and Shamsudeen Mustapha.
The commissioner said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects belonged to a criminal network responsible for kidnapping and banditry attacks around the FCT and neighbouring communities.
“The group had infiltrated and integrated into a local community just about one kilometre away from the FCT itself, enabling them to gather intelligence and coordinate repeated attacks on targeted persons and locations,” the commissioner said.
Police recovered four motorcycles, 31 tablets of 500mg tramadol, 10 tablets of 50mg tramadol, five mobile phones, a POS machine, cooking utensils and N320,000 cash from the suspects.
Sanusi disclosed that the recovered cash was linked to ransom proceeds from a recent kidnapping operation.
“According to the confession of one of the suspects, the N320,000 was his share from a N7 million ransom paid to the kidnappers,” he revealed.
He also stated that one of the suspects admitted providing a motorcycle to assist two bandits who escaped during the June 11 raid, confirming internal support within the criminal network.
The commissioner identified Mustapha as a supplier of drugs to the gang.
Sanusi further announced plans by the police, in collaboration with the FCT Administration, to demolish buildings identified as hideouts used by the suspects.
“We have an arrangement. Since we have identified their houses, we are moving from here to go and demolish those houses in collaboration with the FCT administration. Any such houses that we continue to identify, we will continue to bring down,” he said.
The police commissioner also declared several suspected bandits wanted, saying the command had obtained their photographs and was prepared to confront them.
“As they are looking for us, we are equally looking for them,” he said.
