Police Bust Deadly Kidnap Syndicate, Recover AK-47, Livestock
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says it has dismantled a notorious kidnapping syndicate linked to a string of abductions and killings along the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)-Nasarawa border.
Disclosing this on Tuesday, Force spokesman, CSP Anietie Iniedu, said operatives also recovered an AK-47 rifle, ammunition and suspected proceeds of crime during a coordinated operation.
He said that the breakthrough followed intelligence-led operations carried out between June 24 and 26, 2026, by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS) across Gbagalape in the FCT, Mararaba in Nasarawa State and parts of Abuja.
Police arrested two suspected members of the gang, identified as Buhari Adamu, 25, and Abubakar Saidu, 28. According to the Force, the suspects are believed to have played active roles in several kidnappings, violent attacks and murders within the FCT-Nasarawa axis.
Investigators linked the syndicate to the deadly May 16, 2026 attack on Gbagalape community, a border settlement between the FCT and Nasarawa State. During the attack, several residents were reportedly abducted, while others were killed or sustained gunshot injuries. The gang was also accused of murdering multiple victims after collecting ransom payments.
Following the arrests, police operatives raided the gang’s hideout in the Gbagalape Hills, where they recovered one AK-47 rifle, 22 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, 14 cows and three sheep believed to be proceeds of criminal activities.
According to Iniedu, the suspects are currently assisting investigators with useful information, while efforts have been intensified to track down and arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate.
Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-led operations against violent criminal networks nationwide.
This is even as he commended the operatives of the FID-STS for their professionalism and resilience and appealed to members of the public to continue supporting the police with timely and credible information to aid crime prevention, detection and the arrest of criminal elements.
