Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a kidnapping and banditry network operating around Abuja, including a woman accused of supplying food and other logistics to criminals and their captives.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the arrests on Monday while parading the suspects in Abuja, describing the operation as a major breakthrough in efforts to dismantle criminal groups operating on the outskirts of the capital.
According to him, the arrests followed a security operation carried out in the Byazin area of the FCT on June 11, during which some suspects were apprehended, others neutralised and kidnapped victims rescued.
Sanusi identified the female suspect as Hauwa Shafiu, saying she allegedly served as a cook and logistics provider for the gang despite being heavily pregnant at the time of her arrest.
“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,” he said.
The police commissioner said Shafiu later gave birth after being taken to a hospital on his directive and is currently receiving medical care.
“The baby is sound and safe. She too is sound. We have provided every medical need while we watch her recuperate,” he added.
Other suspects arrested were identified as Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa and Shamsudeen Mustapha, among others.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police, revealed that members of the network had settled within a community close to the FCT boundary, enabling them to gather intelligence and coordinate attacks.
“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,” Sanusi said.
Items recovered from the suspects included four motorcycles, several quantities of tramadol tablets, five mobile phones, a POS machine, cooking utensils and N320,000 believed to be proceeds from kidnapping activities.
“According to the confession of one of the suspects, the N320,000 was his share from a N7 million ransom paid to the kidnappers,” the commissioner revealed.
Sanusi also disclosed that one of the suspects admitted helping two bandits escape during the June 11 operation by providing a motorcycle.
He added that Mustapha was allegedly responsible for supplying drugs to members of the gang.
The commissioner announced that the police, in collaboration with the FCT Administration, would demolish buildings linked to the suspects and warned that security agencies would continue pursuing other wanted members of the network.
“As they are looking for us, we are equally looking for them,” he said.
