Pregnant woman, four others arrested as Police dismantle kidnap network in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested five suspects, including a pregnant woman, in connection with an alleged kidnapping and banditry syndicate operating in communities on the outskirts of Abuja.

The suspects were apprehended following a series of intelligence-driven operations conducted by security operatives as part of ongoing efforts to combat violent crimes and dismantle criminal networks within the Federal Capital Territory and its surrounding areas.

FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed the development while briefing journalists in Abuja, revealing that the arrests stemmed from a clearance operation carried out on June 11, 2026, in the Byazin area of the territory.

According to the police commissioner, the operation resulted in the arrest of several suspected bandits, the neutralisation of others during armed confrontations, and the successful rescue of kidnapped victims who had been held by the criminal group.

Sanusi explained that follow-up investigations and intelligence gathering subsequently led operatives to another suspected hideout linked to the gang, where additional arrests were made.

Among those taken into custody was a woman identified as Hauwa Shafiu, who investigators allege served as a logistics provider and cook for members of the criminal network and their captives.

“One of the suspects operates as a logistics supplier and cooks for the criminal gang and their hostages. She was heavily pregnant at the time of her arrest, yet her pregnancy did not deter her from continuously committing this heinous crime,” the commissioner stated.

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The police chief disclosed that following her arrest, Shafiu was taken to a medical facility where she safely delivered a baby.

“The baby is sound and safe. She too is sound. We have provided every medical need while we watch her recuperate,” Sanusi said.

Other suspects arrested during the operation were identified as Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa, and Shamsudeen Mustapha, while police said another suspect linked to the network was also in custody.

Preliminary investigations, according to the command, suggest that the suspects were part of a coordinated criminal network involved in kidnapping, banditry, and other violent crimes around the Federal Capital Territory.

Sanusi alleged that members of the group had successfully embedded themselves within a local community located approximately one kilometre from Abuja, enabling them to gather intelligence, monitor potential targets, and coordinate attacks without attracting suspicion.

“The group had infiltrated and integrated into a local community just about one kilometre from the FCT, enabling them to gather intelligence and coordinate repeated attacks on targeted persons and locations,” he said.

Security operatives recovered several items during the operation, including four motorcycles believed to have been used for movement and escape, quantities of tramadol tablets, five mobile phones, a Point of Sale (POS) machine, cooking utensils, and cash amounting to N320,000.

The commissioner disclosed that investigators suspect the recovered cash may be connected to proceeds from a recent kidnapping operation. He added that one of the suspects allegedly admitted that the money represented his share of a ransom payment collected by the group.

Police further claimed that one of the arrested individuals confessed to providing a motorcycle that enabled two suspected bandits to escape during the June 11 security operation.

Sanusi also alleged that Shamsudeen Mustapha played a role in supplying illicit drugs to members of the criminal syndicate, a practice authorities believe may have aided the group’s operations.

As part of efforts to dismantle the network completely, the police commissioner announced that the command would collaborate with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to identify and demolish structures allegedly used as hideouts and operational bases by the suspects.

He added that investigations remain ongoing, with security agencies already identifying several other individuals believed to be connected to the criminal network.

According to the commissioner, efforts have been intensified to track down and apprehend the remaining suspects as authorities continue their crackdown on kidnapping and banditry activities threatening residents of the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring communities.

The police assured residents that operations would continue across vulnerable areas to ensure the safety of lives and property while bringing all individuals linked to criminal activities to justice.