General Purpose Machine Gun, Others Recovered As Police Arrest 16 Kidnap Suspects In Abuja 

Ayuba Sanusi 

FOLLOWING the recent launch of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun as a significant stride towards fortifying the security landscape in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and through collaborative efforts with the Department of Force Intelligence – Intelligence Response Team (DFI-IRT), the FCT Command Anti-Violent Crimes Section, Anti-kidnapping Section and other State Commands, the Squad has successfully apprehended sixteen (16) notorious criminals and recovered a significant arsenal of arms and ammunition including a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).

Amongst the suspects paraded today were the three (3) Bwari-based kidnappers – Idris Ishaku, M, 27 years, Bala Umar, M, 27 years, and Dahiru Salisu, M, 27 years, who have been responsible for a series of armed robbery cases and kidnappings in the Bwari Local Government Area and other parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Similarly, the combined team of operatives have arrested thirteen (13) suspects for various other crimes. Amongst the achievements recorded is the foiling of another kidnap plot through technical intelligence resulting in the arrest of the above-named Bwari-based kidnappers, and weapons recovered from them.

In a proactive move, following a report on the abduction of a victim from his house along with his Hilux Van with Reg. No. RBC 90 DL grey colour by four armed men who disguised in a white Mercedez Benz 230 car, Police operatives in an intelligence-propelled investigation discovered that the victim was being taken to Kano State, but was dispossessed of his ATM cards at Kaduna while the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00) was transferred from his account. The suspects however ran out of luck as they were intercepted by Police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna where three of them escaped, while one by the name Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael was arrested, the victim was rescued unhurt, and the said Hilux van recovered. 

It was discovered that Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and his accomplices had earlier been arrested sometime in November 2023 and charged for similar offences, at a High Court in Kwali, Abuja, but went back to committing even worse crimes while on court bail.

Also, operatives of the DFI-IRT office intercepted one Everest Magaji, a gunrunner, during negotiation with some notorious bandits who are currently at large, for the purchase and supply of illicit firearms and ammunition. Eleven (11) pistols, and two (2) Pump Action Guns were recovered from the suspect.

“The achievements recorded through these relentless operations demonstrate the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, under the leadership of Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun to ensure our country becomes a haven for us to inhabit. 

“The IGP urges all citizens to be very observant of their environment and the people in it, and report any suspicious activity immediately to the police”, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer said in a statement.  

Eighteen-Eleven Media