Police Arrest Wanted Bandit Kingpin 'Yellow Lawani', Wife While En Route to Airport, Recover AK-47 Rifles

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Victor Ogbeide, Commander of the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Department Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS), has disclosed the arrest of a wanted bandit kingpin, Mohammed Usman, popularly known as Yellow Lawani, while he was travelling with his wife to the airport.

According to Ogbeide, intelligence operatives tracked the suspect after he allegedly purchased flight tickets valued at about ₦9.8 million for himself and his wife. Acting on credible intelligence, the tactical squad intercepted the couple on their way to the airport.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, the FID-STS commander said the operation was intelligence-driven and led officers to the suspect's hideout in the forest.

"Criminals also want to enjoy life. Usman bought flight tickets for himself and his wife worth ₦9.8 million. We gathered intelligence, intercepted him on the way to the airport, and subsequently followed him to the forest in Kogi State, where we recovered two AK-47 rifles," Ogbeide said.

The police also arrested the suspect's brother, Abubakar Usman, during the operation. However, Abubakar denied any involvement in his brother's alleged criminal activities, insisting that he was unaware Mohammed Usman's identity as a bandit until security operatives arrested him.

The Nigeria Police Force has yet to announce formal charges against the suspects, but the arrest is seen as another significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts by security agencies to dismantle armed bandit networks operating across parts of the country.

Security authorities have continued to intensify intelligence-led operations targeting notorious criminal groups responsible for kidnappings, killings and other violent crimes, particularly in the North-Central and North-West regions.