The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested 40 suspects in separate operations for alleged cases of traffic robbery, armed robbery, and kidnapping in the territory.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this on Wednesday, August 19, during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Abuja.
Sanusi said the arrests followed a review of crime patterns across the FCT as part of efforts to tackle incidents of armed robbery, stolen vehicles and other criminal activities.
He said, “In order to effectively tackle crime and criminality, especially incidents of stolen vehicles and armed robbery within the Federal Capital Territory, we went back to our drawing board where we undertook a detailed review of the crime patterns within the FCT.”
According to the CP, 10 suspects were arrested for alleged traffic robbery, while 20 others were apprehended for various traffic offences.
He said the traffic robbery suspects were arrested following complaints about criminals who allegedly disguised themselves as hawkers along congested roads and traffic stops.
“So far, we have arrested ten traffic robbery suspects,” Sanusi said, adding that the suspects were in custody undergoing investigation.
The commissioner said the command also arrested 20 persons for traffic offences, particularly driving against traffic, popularly known as one-way.
“So far, we have arrested twenty (20) suspects for various traffic offences, and they were all immediately charged to court,” he said.
On armed robbery, Sanusi said two suspects were arrested in connection with robbery incidents in Nyanya and Kubwa.
According to him, one of the suspects, 32-year-old Ismail Tasiu, was trailed to a hotel in Jabi, where he was arrested alongside 35-year-old Adamu Aliyu, who was allegedly identified as a receiver of stolen property.
The CP said five motorcycles, three knives, a licence plate and a face cap bearing the inscription “Kaduna State Vigilante Service” were recovered from the suspects.
He said, “All exhibits and suspects are in custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.”
Sanusi further disclosed that two suspects were arrested over the kidnapping of three residents of Nyanya.
He said the victims were taken to New-Nyanya, Nasarawa State, where they were held hostage before police operatives arrested Godwin Afekhide and Aaron Ogbu, who were allegedly linked to the crime.
“All three victims were rescued unharmed and reunited with their family,” he said.
The commissioner also disclosed that six other suspects were arrested on July 28 by operatives of the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit Team 1.
He said investigations revealed that the gang allegedly specialised in breaking into houses at night, stealing valuables and stabbing victims.
Sanusi assured residents that the command would sustain its operations against criminal elements across the territory.
“I want to use this opportunity to assure all residents of the Federal Capital Territory that we will continue to take the fight to criminal elements wherever they operate,” he said.
“We will identify their hideouts, disrupt their networks, recover their instruments of crime, and bring those responsible to justice,” he added.
The CP urged residents to continue providing the police with credible information about suspicious persons and activities in their communities.