Police bust bandits network, arrest pregnant cook in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested five suspects linked to a kidnapping and banditry network operating on the outskirts of Abuja, including a heavily pregnant woman who served as cook and logistics supplier for the gang and their hostages.

The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, while parading the suspects before journalists in Abuja on Monday, said the arrests followed a clearance operation at the Byazin area of the FCT on June 11, 2026, during which some bandits were arrested, others neutralised, and victims rescued.

He said a follow-up raid on a suspected bandit hideout within the same area led to the arrest of a woman identified as Hauwa Shafiu, who operated as a logistics supplier and cook for the criminal gang and their captives, noting that her pregnancy did not deter her from continuing the crime.

The commissioner said he ordered that she be taken to hospital following her arrest, where she subsequently gave birth, adding that both mother and child were sound and being given every medical attention while she recuperated at the police clinic.

Other suspects arrested were identified as Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa and Shamsudeen Mustapha, with Sanusi disclosing that preliminary investigations showed the suspects belonged to a criminal network involved in kidnapping and banditry within and around the FCT, having embedded themselves in a local community about one kilometre from the territory’s boundary to gather intelligence and coordinate attacks.

He listed items recovered from the suspects to include four motorcycles, 31 pieces of 500mg tramadol tablets, 10 pieces of 50mg tramadol tablets, five phones, one POS machine, cooking utensils and N320,000 in cash, which he said formed part of the proceeds from a recent kidnapping ransom.

According to him, one of the suspects confessed that the N320,000 represented his share of a N7 million ransom paid to the kidnappers, while another admitted to dispatching a motorcycle that helped two fleeing bandits escape during the June 11 operation, confirming that the duo who evaded arrest that day had been assisted by members of the network.

Sanusi said Mustapha served as an active drug supplier to the bandit network, and announced that the command, in collaboration with the FCT Administration, would demolish the identified hideouts linked to the suspects, with plans to bring down any additional locations identified.

He also declared several wanted bandits whose photographs had been obtained, warning that the command was prepared for direct confrontation with the fleeing members of the network.