Police thwart planned mass kidnap in Abuja, neutralize 3 bandits, recover weapons

By Kingsley Omonobi

Abuja – The Abuja Police Command successfully foiled a planned large-scale kidnapping attack over the weekend, neutralizing three bandits and recovering firearms and ammunition in a coordinated operation by the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

The operation was prompted by intelligence on an imminent attack targeting a community in the Federal Capital Territory, following a spate of kidnappings in ACO Community, Gwagwalada, and Bwari.

According to the Police, on November 30, 2025, operatives arrested a key suspect, Sani Mohammed Umar, aka Boko, recovering his mobile phone, believed to have been used to coordinate criminal activities. Umar admitted to being part of the gang responsible for previous kidnappings and armed robberies in ACO, Dupa, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali, and disclosed the location of his gang members at Gada Biyu Hills, Kwali, where they were planning the next attack.

Later that night, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, supported by the Nigerian Army’s 176 Battalion Forward Operating Base (FOB), engaged the gang in a 30-minute gun battle at the forest ambush point, neutralizing three armed bandits. Other gang members reportedly escaped with suspected gunshot wounds.

Recovered items from the scene include three AK-47 rifles, three magazines, and 33 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition. Security forces are continuing joint operations to comb the forest and block all escape routes. Medical facilities in the area have been alerted to report any gunshot victims to security agencies.

The FCT Commissioner of Police commended the professionalism of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and the public for providing crucial intelligence, urging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity.

Contact numbers for reporting tips are: 08032003913, 08061581938.

The post Police thwart planned mass kidnap in Abuja, neutralize 3 bandits, recover weapons appeared first on Vanguard News.