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FCT: Three killed as police engage bandits in gun duel, avert ‘large-scale’ attack
At least three bandits planning a ‘large-scale attack’ on communities in the Federal Capital Territory have been killed by operatives of the FCT Police Command.
Josephine Adeh, Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said the operatives engaged the hoodlums in a gun battle following credible intelligence.
She explained that the breakthrough followed recent kidnapping incidents in ACO Community, Gwagwalada, and Bwari areas of the territory, where the bandits launched attacks on unsuspecting residents.
The previous incidents prompted the FCT commissioner of police to direct the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command to intensify efforts to dismantle the criminal syndicate responsible for the attacks.
According to the statement, intelligence later revealed that the criminal elements had concluded plans to launch another unprovoked attack on a community “on or before December 1, 2025, with the intention of kidnapping residents”.
Said noted that while acting swiftly on this intelligence, operatives of the Command on Sunday traced and arrested one of the key conspirators, a wanted kidnapper and armed robbery suspect named Sani Mohammed Umar, aka Boko.
Josephine said the mobile phone of the arrested bandit was suspected to be the primary device used in coordinating the criminal operations within the territory, adding that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had orchestrated a series of attacks across Abuja.
“The anti-kidnapping team, led by the OC-Anti-Kidnapping, tactically advanced into the forest, reached the gang’s meeting point, and laid a well-planned ambush.
“On sighting the operatives, the heavily armed bandits opened fire. The police responded decisively, engaging the criminals in a fierce 30-minute gun duel, during which three of the bandits were neutralized while other gang members escaped with suspected gunshot wounds,” she said.
Items recovered from the scene include three AK-47 rifles, three magazine with thirty-three rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.