Police arrest bandits’ informant, 19 others in Abuja

Police operatives have arrested an alleged informant and logistics supplier of a kidnapping and banditry group terrorising Abuja and its environs.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, who made the disclosure via a statement issued on Sunday, June 11, said the suspect arrested by the anti-Kidnapping unit at the Mongoro Forest had been on the wanted list of the command.

Adeh said the suspect was arrested over involvement in the supply of firearms, ammunition, and other weapons.

She said the suspect was also involved in the supply of food items and illicit drugs to the criminals in their various hideouts in the forests using a motorcycle.

The police spokesperson listed the items recovered from the suspect to include one AK47 rifle, AK47 ammunition, one mobile phone, foodstuffs, and an unregistered Boxer motorcycle.

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Adeh said investigations into the case had been intensified to identify and cut off the criminal supply chain and arrest other members of the gang.

In a related development, Adeh said the command arrested 11 suspects over illegal possession, fabrication, and production of small arms and light weapons, armed robbery, and other criminal offences.

She said the supects were intercepted and arrested in the Zuba area of Abuja by the operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB).

The police spokesperson said items recovered from the suspects were four locally made firearms and one live cartridge.

Adeh said preliminary investigations by the police revealed that the gang was involved in the fabrication and production of small and light weapons locally.

She said operatives from Utako Divisional Police Headquarters, on Wednesday, arrested eight suspects over armed robbery at Amala Garden in Utako, Abuja.

Adeh said three firearms of different calibers, knives, and hard drugs were recovered from the suspects arrested following a tip-off.

The Star