Percy Onyeka
The Police Intelligence Response Team, in conjunction with the anti-violence and anti-kidnapping squads of the FCT Police Command, neutralised one of the most wanted, notorious kidnapping kingpin terrorising FCT and Kaduna State, Alhaji Maigamu, aka Godara, and two other members of his gang after a shootout between the operatives and the deadly gang.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this today while parading seventeen (17) suspected kidnappers, gunrunners, armed robbers, rapists, and arms fabricators in Abuja.
His words: “In the early hours of today, at about 01.40 hrs, operatives of the DFI-IRT engaged some armed bandits within the axis in a fierce gun battle and neutralised three of them, including their gang leader known as Mai Gemu, aka Godara.
“We can say without mincing words that the gang and its camp have been destroyed. The gangs and many others who venture into crime and kidnapping in Bwari border communities linking to the Kaduna axis would never know peace as our concentrated efforts are being intensified.
“This is another significant stride towards fortifying the security landscape in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following the recent launch of the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) of the Nigerian Police Force by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun.
Adejobi said the Special Intervention Squad, working with police tactical teams and state commands, will continue to comb bushes and shanties in border areas between the FCT, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna, and Nasarawa States to weed out criminals.
Speaking on other arrests made by police operatives of IRT, STS, and other teams, he said, “On January 25, 2024, a decisive operation conducted by FID-IRT operatives, based on credible intelligence, resulted in the arrest of two individuals, Abubakar Idris from Angwa-Gede, FCT-Abuja, and Kabiru Suleiman from Jikwoyi phase 4, FCT-Abuja.
This duo formed a notorious kidnapping syndicate operating within the FCT and its surroundings.
“On January 21, 2024, at about 11.50 a.m., an intelligence report was received from the Technical Intelligence Unit, FHQ, Abuja, about the activities of a syndicate of gun fabricator/gun runners operating in Plateau State.
“On receipt of the Intel, IRT Operatives on special duty in the state tracked and arrested the two members of the syndicate, namely: Pam Chung and Jacob Fwangne, both of Jos South L.G.A.
“During investigation, the said Jacob Chung confessed that he has been in the business of fabricating locally made revolver guns for the past five years, while the said Jacob Fwangne bought two of the guns from him at the rate of N40,000 and N50,000, respectively.
“Four locally fabricated revolver guns of G3 ammunition and cartridge carrier calibres were recovered from Pam Chung.
“On the 24th of January, 2024, operatives of the DFI-IRT working based on intelligence intercepted a group of persons along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway who were suspected to be major suppliers of arms and ammunition to bandits operating in Niger State, Zamfara State, and Kaduna State.
“The suspects, upon arrest and consequent interrogation, confessed to the crimes. One of the suspects, Ibrahim Hussaini, is currently in custody, while the other two suspects are leading the IRT operatives to their hideouts, where they store their weapons for distribution.
“On the 10th of September, 2023, a kidnapping suspect, along with three others currently at large, armed with dangerous weapons, attacked the complainant, who is a Bolt driver who was conveying a passenger from Galadimawa to Maitama along Kabusa Road.
“The suspect and his cohorts kidnapped the rider while the passenger escaped. They received a ransom of N300,000 before granting the victim his freedom.
“Upon investigation and arrest, it was discovered that the suspect was a fugitive from the prison facility in Jos, Plateau, for conviction on a case of assault. The suspect voluntarily confessed to the offence of being among the syndicate that kidnapped the victim. He also confessed to being a fugitive.
“On January 13, 2024, an 18-seater bus from Port Harcourt to Owerri was attacked by kidnappers. Police moved to scene and rescued 10 of the kidnapping victims around Orokam village in Benue State. Two of the kidnappers sustained gunshot injuries in the gun duel.
“Around August 2023, there was a reported case of kidnapping around the idu-karimo. Based on intelligence, operatives of the FCT Anti-Kidnapping Unit swung into action and got wind of a prime suspect being spotted at a hospital at Tasha 1 Gwagwa and immediately went to apprehend him.
“During interrogation, he confessed to being part of a kidnapping syndicate, and along with this syndicate, have carried out multiple kidnapping operations in the idu-karimo axis.
He also confessed that their ring leader, One Bademe, was the one who kidnapped some security operatives and the chief of Guruku and received a ransom of 20 million naira from the hostage before his release.
Of this sum, the suspect was to relay the sum of N1.5 million naira to the ring leader’s family but absconded with it. The suspect also confessed to two different kidnappings where they collected the sum of N400,000 from one of the victims while the other managed to escape.”
Agency Report
