The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has apprehended four suspects involved in a one-chance robbery and attempted kidnapping. In the process, the police successfully rescued two victims.

The arrest followed a distress call made on October 8, 2025, when a woman named Hajara Ali reported to the Life Camp Police Station that her sister, Comfort Habila, had been abducted by armed criminals who demanded a ransom of ₦1,000,000 for her release.

In a statement issued by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, it was confirmed that after receiving the distress call at around 10:09 p.m., police operatives from the Life Camp Division sprang into action. Using both digital and tactical intelligence, the police tracked and apprehended the suspects at Dape Village in the early hours of October 9, 2025, following a confrontation.

The victims, Comfort Habila and Aliyu Adams, were rescued, although Adams suffered multiple stab wounds during the incident. He was immediately rushed to the Gwarinpa General Hospital for treatment.

“The suspects arrested are Solomon Tanko, Samuel Audu, Chigozie Joseph, and Emmanuel Chidiebere,” SP Adeh confirmed in the statement.

Further investigation revealed that the suspects had been involved in a string of one-chance robberies around the Bannex and Kado areas in Abuja. The suspects were reported to have used a vehicle with tinted windows to deceive unsuspecting passengers.

SP Adeh elaborated: “They admitted to having robbed six victims, both men and women, before their arrest.”

In addition to the ransom demand, a range of items were recovered from the suspects, including 15 international passports, two daggers, two cutlasses, bloodstained documents, four mobile phones, two hammers, and three biros.

One-chance robbery, a notorious street crime, continues to pose a significant threat in Abuja and other major cities in Nigeria. Criminals lure unsuspecting passengers into commercial vehicles where they are then robbed of cash, phones, and other valuables. In some cases, victims are subjected to physical assault or even kidnapped.

The FCT Police Command has recently intensified efforts to combat one-chance robbery syndicates, using both overt and covert strategies such as increased patrols and enhanced surveillance around major bus stops and highways.

Despite these efforts, one-chance incidents continue to occur, leaving residents of Abuja and surrounding areas on edge.

SP Adeh confirmed that the arrested suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations. The police have pledged to continue their efforts in curbing the menace of one-chance robberies.