FCT Police Arrest Four Suspected Bandits, Recover Drugs and Motorcycles

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has recorded another breakthrough in its ongoing fight against banditry with the arrest of four suspected members of a criminal network operating within and around Abuja.

The FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Monday.

Recall that a video showing the police commissioner leading anti-kidnapping operations in the Byazhin area of the FCT recently went viral on social media.

Providing an update on the operation, Sanusi said a follow-up raid was conducted in the Paze Byazhin area after an earlier anti-kidnapping and rescue mission led by him.

According to the commissioner, on June 11, 2026, police operatives stormed a suspected banditry and kidnapping hideout in the area and arrested four suspects identified as Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa, Hauwa Shafiu and Shamsudeen Mustapha.

Preliminary investigations, he said, revealed that the suspects were allegedly part of a criminal network involved in kidnapping and banditry activities within and around the FCT.

“Further investigations revealed that the group had infiltrated and integrated into the local community, enabling them to gather intelligence and coordinate repeated attacks on targeted persons and locations,” the CP said.

Sanusi disclosed that one of the suspects, Hauwa Shafiu, allegedly served as a logistics supplier and cook for the criminal gang and their hostages.

He added that the suspect was heavily pregnant at the time of her arrest and later gave birth while in police custody.

“She subsequently delivered a healthy baby while in police custody. Adequate medical attention was provided to both mother and child,” he said.

Items recovered from the suspects included four motorcycles, 31 tablets of 500mg tramadol, 10 tablets of 50mg tramadol, N320,000 cash, five mobile phones, a Point of Sale (POS) machine and cooking utensils.

The commissioner assured residents of the FCT of the command’s commitment to sustaining operations against criminal elements and ensuring the safety of lives and property.

He urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with credible information to aid crime prevention and investigation.