The Federal Capital Territory witnessed a major security breakthrough as operatives of the FCT Police Command dismantled a notorious armed robbery syndicate, arresting 13 suspects linked to a trail of violent crimes across the nation’s capital.
The operation, described as intelligence-driven and painstakingly executed, followed weeks of complaints from residents and victims in Asokoro, Mabuchi and Utako, whose communities had been under siege from coordinated night raids.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the decisive clampdown was carried out by the Command’s elite Scorpion Squad between January 10 and 12, under the leadership of ACP Victor O. Godfrey.
Acting on credible intelligence, the team stormed a hideout in Durumi, where eight members of the gang were apprehended after a brief resistance was subdued by superior police tactics, bringing a long-running reign of terror closer to an end.
The momentum continued with a follow-up operation in Apo-Waru, leading to the arrest of five additional suspects and effectively crippling the syndicate’s operational capacity within the Territory.
Investigators disclosed that closed-circuit television footage from one of the group’s recent operations played a critical role in positively identifying the suspects and linking them to multiple robbery incidents across Gwagwalada, Apo, Waru, Jahi and Wuse.
Police sources confirmed that the gang was responsible for high-profile attacks, including robberies at Dan-Shade Hotel in Gwagwalada and Hi-Test Travel Lodge in Wuse Zone 6, as well as an assault on Khole Home Apartment in Jahi that affected residents and security aides.
Items recovered during the raids included an AK-47 rifle, a locally fabricated firearm, a Jericho pistol, assorted ammunition, mobile phones, foreign currency, charms and a 2015 Toyota Corolla believed to have served as the gang’s operational vehicle.
The suspects, aged between 18 and 28, are currently in custody as investigations continue, with the police assuring that they will be charged to court upon the conclusion of preliminary inquiries.
Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding lives and property in Abuja, the FCT Police Command urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements through its emergency response lines.