The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has announced the arrest of five notorious bandits and the recovery of a substantial arsenal of weapons, marking a critical victory in its ongoing campaign to secure the nation’s capital and its surrounding regions.
The operation, which unfolded strategically between September 20th and 28th, 2025, represents a continuation of the Command’s intensified efforts, coming hot on the heels of a previous mission that resulted in the neutralization of a feared bandit leader, Abdullahi Umar, aka “Duna,” and three of his associates in the forests of Guzape and Zinda.
According to a detailed statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the apprehended suspects are high-value targets long sought by multiple security agencies.
The individuals—identified as Abdullahi Garuba (Alhaji Ore), Yusuf Inuwa (Alhaji Dabunda), David Kaika (Baba), Baba Imaji, and Ibrahim Nasiru (Pepper)—are alleged to be key players in a network responsible for a spate of kidnappings terrorizing the North Central, North West, and North East regions. Their capture, led by the Commander of the specialized Scorpion Squad, is a testament to the precision and persistence of intelligence-driven policing.
The operational success was quantified by the sheer volume of illicit materials confiscated from the bandits. The recovered exhibits paint a picture of a well-armed and mobile criminal enterprise: a staggering 2,186 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm AK-47 ammunition, two AK-47 rifles with obliterated serial numbers, a locally fabricated pistol, and five operational motorcycles used for their nefarious activities.
SP Adeh confirmed that all suspects have confessed to their crimes and will be formally charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, with manhunts launched for their remaining accomplices still at large.
Beyond this high-profile bandit takedown, the FCT Command demonstrated the breadth of its crackdown with parallel successes. The Command also announced the arrest of eleven drug dealers, the dismantling of a ‘one-chance’ robbery syndicate that dispossessed a victim of N2.7 million, and the seizure of 68 bags of cannabis, alongside the recovery of various stolen vehicles and items.
Commissioner of Police Ajao S. Adewale commended the gallantry of the officers involved and reaffirmed an unwavering commitment to public safety.
“I reassure the public of my continued efforts to rid the FCT and its environs of crime and criminality,” he pledged, signaling that this recent achievement is but one chapter in a sustained and comprehensive security offensive.
