Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command have arrested nine suspects and neutralised 10 others during clearance operations of kidnappers’ hideouts in FCT and neighbouring states.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, made this known at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.
He said the operations carried out by the command’s anti-kidnapping unit were conducted in the kidnappers’ dens in Kweri forest, Kaduna State and Gauraka forest in Niger.
According to him, six of the suspects arrested over culpable homicide were responsible for various armed robbery cases and kidnappings in Dei-dei, Bwari and Dawaki communities in the FCT.
Disu further stated that the six suspects were members of a kidnapping and banditry gang led by a suspect who was neutralised during the operation.
“During the operations involving the assault of the strongholds of the kidnappers in Kweri and Gauraka forests, the gang leader and eight others were neutralised after an intense exchange of gunfire.
“At the same time, two operatives of the Police Command in the FCT sustained serious injuries and are both undergoing treatment in the hospital,” he said.
He added that intelligence had revealed that kidnap victims were usually kept in various locations in Gidan Dogo forest in Kaduna and Gauraka forest in Niger, as well as Kweri and Kachia forests in Kaduna State.
Disu said three AK-47 rifles, 100 rounds of live 7.62 ammunition, and 10 AK-47 magazines were recovered from the suspects, while efforts are being intensified to arrest the remaining members of the gang.
He said operatives of the command had also arrested three wanted suspects over kidnapping, banditry and culpable homicide during another clearance operation.
He said the suspects were responsible for various armed robbery and kidnapping attacks on ECWA pastors’ quarters in Dnapoyi village in Bwari Area Council, Mpape village and Daupe village.
Disu said the suspects were members of a kidnapping and banditry gang based in the Kweri forest of Kaduna State whose leader was neutralised during the operation.
He said two AK-47 rifles, 85 rounds of live 7.62 ammunition, three AK-47 magazines and one locally made gun were recovered from the suspects.