The Nigerian Police Force, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Abuja, has confirmed the arrest of seven notorious kidnappers and the recovery of N9 million cash collected as ransom.
This was disclosed by the police commissioner in FCT, CP Benneth Igweh, who paraded the suspects at the command headquarters on Wednesday.
CP Benneth Igweh added that the suspects were apprehended by operatives of the Utako police division led by CSP Victor Godfrey in a coordinated operation at Tudun – Wada Lugbe and Pyakasa area of Trademore.
They were identified as Usman Muazu from Kwali, FCT, Aliyu Mohammed, from Pumpomare area of Borno state, Awwal Dahiru, who hails from Gwagwalada area council of the FCT, Rabi Sani, from Safana, Katsina State and Madina Abubakar, from Gulu, Lapai local government area of Niger State.
Others are, Jonah Elimelech from Kauru, Kaduna state, Saminu Idris, from also from Kauru, Kaduna state and Mariji Iliya from Mangu, Plateau state.
The police added that 79 suspects were also arrested during raids on various black spots by the police operatives from Trademore, Galadimawa, Maitama and Gwagwalada in the FCT.
He did, however, say that the raid was part of the command’s attempts to clear the FCT of crime, as its officers raided unfinished buildings and seized substances suspected to be Indian hemp and some illicit drugs from the suspects.
“And we speak, the suspects who have been profiled are in custody undergoing interrogation at respective division, while those found wanting will be charge to court,” he was quoted by Daily Trust.
In January, SaharaReporters reported how some residents of Chikakore and Kuchibuyi in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, protested over the terrible state of the major road linking their community which they described as one of the causes of serial kidnapping in the area.
The protesters who stormed the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) headquarters were armed with placards bearing messages such as, “Contractor has failed us, Wike, come to our aid at Chikakore”, “We can’t access our houses again due to gully erosion”, “We can’t afford another rainfall under this condition” among others.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, the residents had raised the alarm of an imminent flooding disaster and landslides which had not only destroyed the road but also had claimed several lives.