Police Arrest Suspected Kidnappers Posing as Soldiers in Abuja, Recover AK-47 and Ammunition

…Suspects linked to kidnapping, murder, robbery, and ammunition supply networks

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested three suspected kidnappers who allegedly disguised themselves in military camouflage while carrying out criminal activities in and around Abuja.

The suspects were among several individuals arrested in a series of intelligence-led operations targeting kidnapping, homicide, armed robbery, and the supply of ammunition to terrorists and bandits.

Speaking during a parade of suspects at the FCT Police Command Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, Commissioner of Police Ahmed Sanusi said the operation was launched after videos surfaced on social media showing four men dressed in military camouflage openly displaying AK-47 rifles, ammunition, and walkie-talkies.

According to him, a combination of digital forensic analysis and intelligence gathering enabled operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) Sector 5, in collaboration with personnel from the Zuba Division, to trace the suspects to Runji Village in Zuba on May 25, 2026.

The operation led to the arrest of Umar Babangida (25), Adamu Yeti (22), and Yahaya Idris (24), all residents of Rijana, Kaduna State.

Police investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly obtained AK-47 rifles from a gang leader identified only as “Esco,” who remains at large.

Sanusi said a forensic examination of the suspects’ mobile phones uncovered several videos and photographs showing them dressed in military camouflage while carrying firearms and communication devices.

Recovered items included an AK-47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition, eight mobile phones, two jackknives, power banks, and additional incriminating digital evidence.

The police commissioner said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing gang leader and other members of the criminal network.

In a separate operation, detectives attached to the Apo Division arrested two suspects over the kidnapping and murder of 22-year-old Emmanuel Chukwuemeka.

The case was reported on May 2, 2026, after family members notified police that the victim had been missing since April 21.

Through digital intelligence and collaboration with the Benue State Police Command, investigators arrested Emmanuel Acha Leku, 32, a Cameroonian national, and his girlfriend, Kazan Vincent, in Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

Police said investigations revealed that Leku and the deceased had previously engaged in fraudulent activities together. A dispute allegedly arose after proceeds from the scheme were realised, with the victim reportedly absconding with the money.

According to Sanusi, the suspect lured Chukwuemeka to a mountainous area in Lokogoma, Abuja, where he allegedly killed him.

To conceal the crime, Leku reportedly used the victim’s phone to demand a ransom of N5 million from family members, creating the impression that he had been kidnapped.

After the killing, the suspect fled to Benue State and was allegedly planning to escape to Cameroon before his arrest.

Police recovered two mobile phones, including that of the deceased, and later traced and recovered the victim’s decomposing remains. The body has been deposited at Sahad Hospital, Apo, for autopsy.

Ammunition Supplier Arrested

The FCT Police Command also arrested a long-wanted suspect, Yau Sule, from Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Sanusi said Sule had been on the Command’s wanted list since 2023 and was arrested on June 2, 2026, along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

Security operatives recovered 81 rounds of 7.62mm live AK-47 ammunition and 100 rounds of 7.62mm belted ammunition intended for a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).

Further investigations led to the arrest of Maria Sule, the suspect’s sister and wife of a wanted bandit identified as Buhari Shuaibu, who is allegedly involved in attacks across the FCT, Kaduna, and Niger states.

Police said preliminary findings linked the suspects to a wider network responsible for supplying logistics and ammunition to terrorists, bandits, and kidnapping gangs operating across parts of North-Central Nigeria.

Crackdown on ‘One-Chance’ Robbers

The Command also recorded a breakthrough in its fight against “one-chance” robbery syndicates.

On May 15, 2026, operatives of the VCRU, while on routine patrol along the Giri-Lugbe Road, responded to a distress call from a young woman who had allegedly been robbed and abandoned by suspected one-chance operators.

The patrol team immediately launched a pursuit and intercepted a blue Volkswagen Golf with registration number SKK 567 AG.

Two suspects, Muhammed Muhammed, 22, and Muhammed Saidu, 20, were arrested.

A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of the victim’s laptop, iPhone, and laptop charger. Officers also recovered two knives and a pair of scissors believed to have been used during the robbery.

Sanusi reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to proactive policing and the protection of lives and property across the FCT. He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely information to security agencies, stressing that effective policing depends on strong collaboration between law enforcement and the public.

He added that investigations into the various cases are ongoing, while efforts continue to track down other suspects still at large.