Police Arrest 160, Recover Arms, Vehicles In Three Months

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command on Friday announced the arrest of 160 suspects, recovery of 193 rounds of live ammunition, 100 different types of arms, 20 knives/cutlasses, 14 stolen vehicles, 86 bags of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa in three months ending December 2025.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, said security operations reviewed by the command were carried out between October and December 2025.

Dantawaye noted that the FCT shares boundaries with Niger, Kaduna, Kogi and Nasarawa states, a position that continues to draw both legitimate residents and criminal elements seeking to exploit its economic and social importance.

“Since I assumed duty as the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command in October 2025, the Command has undertaken a comprehensive review of the prevailing security situation across the six Area Councils of FCT.

“This assessment identified key issues common to every growing society including kidnapping, armed robbery, “one-chance” robbery, car theft, drug-related offences and other minor crimes.”

Following the assessment, the command deployed intelligence-driven operations, relying on crime analysis, hotspot mapping, inter-agency collaboration and continuous operational reviews to guide deployments across the territory.

The CP said the strategy prioritised community engagement, targeted clearance operations, visibility policing and sustained intelligence gathering to disrupt criminal networks and limit violent crimes within the FCT.

Operational records showed that the command handled 300 reported cases during the period under review, leading to the arrest of 160 suspects across multiple crime categories.

Providing details, he said, “Kidnapping incidents stood at seven cases, with 41 suspects arrested. Intelligence-led operations, forest combing exercises and joint actions with sister security agencies dismantled several kidnap gangs operating within and around the FCT.

“The command recorded 62 armed robbery cases, resulting in the arrest of 38 suspects, while police operations disrupted robbery syndicates and led to the recovery of firearms and live ammunition.

“Cases of one-chance robbery stood at 26, with 12 suspects arrested through surveillance operations, stop-and-search exercises and targeted raids in identified hotspots.

“Police recorded 35 cases of car theft and vehicle snatching, leading to the arrest of 11 suspects. Officers recovered 20 stolen vehicles linked to crimes including armed robbery, kidnapping and “one-chance” robbery within and outside the FCT.

“Beyond these offences, police arrested 120 suspects for crimes including homicide, cultism, drug-related offences, illegal possession of firearms and cyber-related fraud.

“The command also rescued 24 kidnapping victims, including women and children, from criminal hideouts and forest locations, while eight victims of “one-chance” robbery and other violent crimes were rescued following rapid police intervention.”

In line with due process, Dantawaye said the police charged “96 suspects to court during the period” of which “60 convictions were secured, while other cases remain at various stages of prosecution, involving offences such as kidnapping, armed robbery, homicide, fraud, cultism and burglary.”

He continued, “Significant recoveries were recorded during operations, including 21 AK-47 rifles, 10 shotguns, one K2 rifle, 37 locally made pistols, 31 locally fabricated firearms, four magazines, 193 rounds of live ammunition, 13 knives, seven cutlasses, alongside 86 bags of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, other illicit drugs, 14 vehicles linked to car theft, armed robbery, kidnapping cases and ₦15.5m in cash proceeds.

“During high-risk operations, particularly anti-kidnapping and armed robbery responses, police engaged armed suspects in gun duels, leading to the neutralisation of nine suspects while attempting to evade arrest or abduct victims.

“The command confirmed that six police officers lost their lives in the line of duty during the period, describing their deaths as a reflection of the risks faced by officers enforcing law and order in the FCT.”

The CP assured that the command would sustain intelligence-led policing, deepen community engagement, maintain targeted clearance operations and strengthen collaboration with other security agencies to address emerging security threats in the FCT.