Police in Abuja thwarted a kidnapping plot and apprehended 16 suspects.

ABUJA, IBADAN, and MINNA The Special Intervention Squad (SIS), recently launched by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has arrested 16 suspects, including three Bwari-based kidnappers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The squad was created in response to the increasing rate of kidnapping and other criminal activities in the FCT.

The police, in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) on Saturday, said that the suspects were arrested at various locations through the collaborative efforts of the Department of Force Intelligence—Intelligence Response Team (DFI-IRT), the FCT Command Anti-Violent Crimes Section, the Anti-Kidnapping Section, and other state commands of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

The FPRO explained that the breakthrough was achieved following the recent launch of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) by the IGP and the fortification of the security landscape in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to the statement, among the 16 suspects were three Bwari-based kidnappers: Idris Ishaku, m. 27 years old, Bala Umar, m. 27 years old, and Dahiru Salisu, m. 27 years old, who had been responsible for a series of armed robberies and kidnappings in the Bwari Area Council and other parts of the FCT, Abuja.

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The statement added that simultaneously, the combined team of officers had arrested 13 suspects for various other crimes.

Part of the statement read: “Among the achievements recorded is the foiling of another kidnapping plot through technical intelligence, resulting in the arrest of the above-named Bwas­ri-based kidnappers and the weap­ons recovered from them.

“In a proactive move following a report on the abduction of a victim from his house along with his Hilux Van with Reg. No. RBC 90 DL gray colour by four armed men who disguised in a white Mercedes Benz 230 car, police operatives, in an intelligence-propelled investigation, discovered that the victim was being taken to Kano State but was dispossessed of his ATM cards at Kaduna, while N500,000 was transferred from his account.

“The suspects, however, ran out of luck as they were intercepted by police operatives at a filling station in Kaduna, where three of them escaped, while one by the name of Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael was arrested.

“The victim was rescued unhurt, and the said Hilux Van recovered. It was discovered that Chinaza Philip Okoye Michael and his accomplices had earlier been arrested sometime in November 2023 and charged with similar offenses at the High Court, Kwali, Abuja, but went back to committing even worse crimes while on court bail.”

The statement further noted that the operatives of the DFI-IRT office also intercepted one Everest Magaji, a gunrunner, during negotiation with some notorious bandits, who were currently at large, for the purchase and supply of illicit firearms and ammunition, while 11 pistols and two pump-action guns were recovered from the suspect.

The FPRO disclosed that the achievements recorded through these relentless operations demonstrated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun to ensure that the nation would be a safe haven for the citizens to inhabit.

Meanwhile, gunmen on Saturday abducted Abdullahi Sabo, a resident of FCT, while he was driving home with his wife.

The abduction took place at Sabon-Lugbe on Airport Road in Abuja.

Sabo was driving his ash-colored Lexus Jeep with registration number ABC 769 TP when the gunmen intercepted his vehicle.

The attackers, travelling in an unmarked golf car, reportedly opened fire and deflated the tires of the victim’s jeep.

The incident occurred less than 48 hours after the abduction in Army Estate, Kurudu, Abuja.

During town hall meetings in Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike assured residents of their safety, emphasising the implementation of adequate security measures.

Wike had also announced the arrest of some bandits and their informants.

A neighbour of the victim, Daramola Joseph, confirmed Sabo’s abduction, recounting that the attackers shot the tires, prompting the vehicle to stop. The victim’s wife managed to escape, but the gunmen abducted Abdullahi Sabo.

As of the time of reporting, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Josephine Adeh, had not responded to calls or messages seeking information on the incident.

Also in the early hours of Saturday, gunmen stormed Otu town in Oyo State and kidnapped two people, injuring another person.

Otu is in the Itesiwaju local government area of the Oke Ogun geopolitical zone of the state.

It was gathered that the two people kidnapped included Mr. Dayo Olayanju and the wife of Mr. Kehinde Obasola.

It was gathered that Obasola escaped with gunshots, but his wife was kidnapped by the gunmen.

The whereabouts of the kidnapped victims had not been revealed as of the time of filing this report.

A community leader in the local government area disclosed that the incident occurred on Saturday morning.

The community leader who craved anonymity disclosed that “it is true. It happened around 2 a.m. today. They were kidnapped in different areas. One was kidnapped along Okeho Road.

“I have confirmed it. The two people kidnapped are Dayo Olayanju and the wife of Kehinde Obasola. Kehinde Obasola was assaulted with gunshots, but his wife was kidnapped.”

All efforts to get police reaction proved abortive, as calls put through to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Oyo Command, Adewale Osifeso, were not successful.

Efforts to get the state commissioner of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), known as Amotekun, Olayinka Olayanju, were futile.

Worried by the recent surge in crimes, including kidnapping, the Commissioner of Police, Niger State, Shawulu Danmam­man, had urged religious bodies in the state to evolve strategies to secure members in places of worship as criminals are becoming more brutal in their evil acts against law-abiding citizenry.

The police commissioner gave the charge when he played host to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairperson, Niger State Chapter, Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who led his executive members on a courtesy visit at the commission’s headquarters at Dutsen Kura-Gwari Area, Minna, over the weekend.

Shawulu, who said that Niger State had enjoyed relative peace due to renewed efforts being made by the state government as well as the determination of security agencies to make the state uninhabitable for criminals, urged churches to strengthen their internal security apparatus for maximum results.

The commissioner said: “While we are assuring you of police support at all times, I must encourage all churches to remain vigilant and very sensitive because of the challenges, even though we are enjoying relative peace in Niger State.

“We all know that places of worship are targets for criminals; let us not be carried away by the seeming peace we are currently enjoying.

“There is a need to be proactive, and that is why I encourage all religious bodies to go back to the use of gadgets like metal detectors and scanners, to an extent.”

The state CAN Chairman, Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the Bishop of Kontagora Catholic Diocese, assured the public commissioner of unalloyed support and collaboration for the security of lives and properties of Nigerlites.

According to him, “the churches and CAN will do their best to strengthen cooperation with the security agencies, police in particular, for a secure Niger State. We will also continue to pray for the police so that we can continue to enjoy relative peace in the state.”