The suspects, identified as Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa, Hauwa Shafiu and Shamsudeen Mustapha, were arrested during a follow-up operation conducted on June 11, 2026, at a suspected banditry and kidnapping hideout in the Paze-Byazhin area of the FCT.
Addressing journalists at the Command Headquarters on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, said the operation followed an earlier anti-kidnapping and rescue mission he personally led in the area on June 9.
According to the police commissioner, intelligence gathered after the initial operation led security operatives to the hideout, where the four suspects were apprehended.
Preliminary investigations, he said, revealed that the suspects were part of a wider criminal network involved in kidnapping and banditry activities within and around the Federal Capital Territory.
Sanusi disclosed that members of the group had embedded themselves within local communities, enabling them to monitor residents, gather intelligence on potential targets and coordinate attacks carried out by armed criminal gangs.
“The suspects had infiltrated and integrated into the local community, thereby providing intelligence and logistical support that facilitated repeated attacks on targeted individuals and locations,” the commissioner said.
Security experts have consistently identified local informants and logistics operatives as critical components of kidnapping networks, often serving as the eyes and ears of criminal gangs by tracking the movements of residents, identifying vulnerable targets and supplying essential materials needed to sustain operations.
One of the suspects, Hauwa Shafiu, was identified by investigators as a logistics supplier and cook responsible for providing food and other necessities for members of the gang and their hostages.
Police said Shafiu was heavily pregnant at the time of her arrest and later delivered a healthy baby while in police custody. Authorities stated that both mother and child received adequate medical attention.
The operation also led to the recovery of several items believed to have been used in supporting the activities of the criminal network.
Recovered exhibits include four motorcycles, 31 tablets of 500mg tramadol, 10 tablets of 50mg tramadol, N320,000 in cash, five mobile phones, one Point of Sale (POS) machine and various cooking utensils.
Investigators believe the recovered items could provide valuable leads into the structure, financing and operational methods of the network.
The motorcycles are suspected to have been used for movement across communities and difficult terrain, while the mobile phones are expected to aid investigators in tracking communication among members of the syndicate.
The recovery of a POS machine and cash has also drawn the attention of investigators seeking to establish possible financial transactions linked to the activities of the suspects.
The presence of tramadol, a drug frequently associated with criminal activities due to its stimulant effects when abused, is expected to form part of ongoing investigations.
Security analysts have noted that criminal gangs increasingly rely on support networks comprising informants, transporters, suppliers and financiers who operate within communities and provide the infrastructure necessary for kidnapping operations to thrive.
The latest arrests underscore the evolving nature of insecurity in the nation’s capital, where criminal groups often depend on local collaborators to evade detection and sustain operations.
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Sanusi attributed the success of the operation to timely intelligence provided by residents and urged members of the public to continue supporting law enforcement agencies with credible information.
He stressed that security remains a collective responsibility and assured residents that the command would continue to intensify efforts aimed at dismantling criminal networks threatening the safety of communities across the FCT.
EXHIBITS RECOVERED
• Four motorcycles
• Thirty-one tablets of 500mg tramadol
• Ten tablets of 50mg tramadol
• N320,000 cash
• Five mobile phones
• One Point of Sale (POS) machine
• Cooking utensils
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.