FCT police nab suspected criminals, recover arms

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested several criminal suspects for alleged offences ranging from culpable homicide, kidnapping, armed robbery, stealing, ‘one chance,' illegal possession of firearms, cultism, and carjacking.

The police on Tuesday paraded a total number of 43 suspects 11 of whom were arrested over alleged involvement in ‘one chance,' seven alleged kidnappers and informants, an alleged cultist arrested, and one suspected kidnapper killed.

Speaking to pressmen during the parade, the FCT CP, Haruna Garba also noted that a total of 30 pieces of ammunition, five firearms, and three stolen vehicles, were recovered by the police.

Garba said, “On October 29, police operatives from Kabusa Division acting on actionable intelligence, arrested one Obichukwu Elijah and Johnson Samuel who stole and conspired to sell a Toyota Sienna car with Registration No. EPE 397 DP, property of one Friday Ogelenya. The suspects were apprehended while trying to sell off the said vehicle at Gudu mechanic area of Apo. Suspects confessed to their involvement in the crime and will be charged in court after the investigation.

“On October 24, following a report made by one Faith James at Trademore Division, that she boarded a green Peugeot vehicle with Reg. No. CK 202 GWA from ACO estate junction heading to Trademore, and was robbed of her belongings which included a cash sum of N110,000 by a purported commercial vehicle driver and her colleagues who pretended as genuine passengers. On receipt of the report, police operatives from the division swung into action, trailed and arrested one Osai Donatus with the same vehicle in the process of committing the same act on another innocent passenger. The suspect confessed to his involvement in the crime and is assisting the Police to apprehend his other gang members at large.”

The CP further revealed that on October 30, operatives from Asokoro Division while on routine patrol along DSS Quarters Asokoro observed a Vento Volkswagen car with Reg No. APP 307 GS, blue in colour moving in a suspicious manner.

The police operatives intercepted the vehicle opposite Niger Barracks and arrested a five-man gang AKA ‘'Open and Close'' namely; Lekan Adebayo (gang leader), Abraham Umukoro, Joseph Asobei, Blessing Gabriel (female) and Joy Livinus (female).

Garba added, “During interrogation, suspects confessed to being a one-chance syndicate who specialise in carefully identifying, and picking up their victims, taking them to an isolated area, robbing them of their valuables, and dropping them off at isolated locations. While searching the vehicle, police operatives discovered four bundles of wrapped paper cut to money size, four car keys and other valuables were recovered from them.

He said the suspects and others arrested will be arraigned in court after an investigation.