Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested five suspected members of a kidnapping and banditry syndicate, including a heavily pregnant woman who served as a cook and logistics supplier for the criminal gang and their hostages. The arrests, announced on Monday, June 15, 2026, followed a follow‑up clearance operation on June 11 at a suspected hideout in the Paze‑Byazhin area of the Bwari Area Council, which itself was a sequel to a major anti‑kidnapping and rescue mission led by the Commissioner of Police on June 9.
Briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Abuja, the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, identified the arrested suspects as Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa, Hauwa Shafiu, and Shamsudeen Mustapha. One of the suspects, Hauwa Shafiu, the heavily pregnant woman, acted as the group’s cook and logistics supplier. “She was heavily pregnant at the time of her arrest, even though her pregnancy did not deter her from continuously committing this heinous crime,” Sanusi said. After her arrest, the CP ordered that she be taken to the hospital, where she subsequently gave birth. “The baby is sound and safe. She too is sound. We have provided every medical need while we watch her recuperate,” he added, noting that she remained in the police clinic.
The gang had strategically embedded themselves in a local community located just about one kilometre from the FCT boundary, using the cover to gather intelligence and coordinate repeated attacks on targeted victims. “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. Exhibits recovered from the suspects included four motorcycles, 31 pieces of 500mg tramadol tablets, 10 pieces of 50mg tramadol tablets, five mobile phones, a POS machine, cooking utensils, and N320,000 in cash. According to the confession of one of the suspects, the cash was his share from a N7 million ransom paid to the kidnappers.
Sanusi further disclosed that a suspect confessed to having dispatched a motorcycle to help two fleeing bandits escape during the June 9 operation, confirming that two persons who evaded arrest that day had been assisted from within the network. He also identified Shamsudeen Mustapha as an active drug supplier to the bandit network. The police command, in collaboration with the FCT Administration, announced plans to demolish the identified hideouts of the suspects as a deterrent. Sanusi also declared several bandits wanted, warning that the command is prepared for direct confrontation. “As they are looking for us, we are equally looking for them,” he said.
In a separate but related development, the Commissioner paraded a suspect, Chinedu Aniekuoku, for allegedly holding his sister, Grace Aniekuoku, in chains for over one year and four months. The police received a distress report on June 12, leading to the rescue of the victim, who was found in chains in an extremely emaciated condition. The suspect resisted arrest but was overpowered. Investigations revealed that the suspect had also allegedly abducted his sister’s son two years ago and kept her confined to prevent her from inquiring about the child’s whereabouts. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the missing child, and the suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Sanusi commended residents for providing timely information, describing community cooperation as critical to the success of police operations. He urged the public to continue supporting security agencies, stressing that the fight against crime remains a collective responsibility.
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