FCT Police foil planned large-scale community attack, neutralise 3 bandits in Kwali

By Johnson Arua

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command says it has successfully thwarted a planned large-scale attack on a community within the Territory, following credible intelligence and a coordinated operation by its Anti-Kidnapping Unit.

The breakthrough comes on the heels of recent kidnapping incidents in ACO Community, Gwagwalada, and Bwari, which prompted the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, to order an intensified crackdown on the syndicate behind the assaults.

According to a statement issued by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, intelligence later revealed that the criminal gang had finalised arrangements to launch another violent attack on or before December 1, 2025. The group reportedly planned to abduct residents, demand ransom, and further destabilise the targeted community.

Acting on the intelligence, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit on November 30, 2025, at about 2:11pm, tracked and arrested one of the gang’s key conspirators, identified as Sani Mohammed Umar, also known as Boko. He is a wanted kidnapper and armed robbery suspect. His mobile phone, believed to be the primary device used to coordinate the gang’s operations, was recovered.

Police investigations linked Umar to previous attacks and kidnappings in ACO and Dupa communities in Gwagwalada, as well as several armed robbery incidents across Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali. He reportedly confessed that his gang members were waiting for him at Gada Biyu Hills, Kwali, where they had mobilised to launch their next assault.

At about 11:01pm the same day, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, led by the Officer-in-Charge, advanced into the forest and located the gang’s meeting point. The operatives laid an ambush, but the heavily armed criminals opened fire upon sighting them. The police responded, engaging the attackers in a fierce 30-minute gun duel during which three bandits were neutralised, while others escaped with suspected gunshot wounds.

Items recovered at the scene include three AK-47 rifles, three magazines, and thirty-three rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition.

A joint operation involving Police operatives and personnel of the Nigerian Army’s 176 Battalion, Kwali, is currently ongoing, with teams combing the forest and blocking potential escape routes. Medical facilities in the area have also been notified to report anyone presenting with bullet wounds to the nearest security formation or contact the Command via 08032003913 or 08061581938.

The Commissioner of Police commended the gallantry and professionalism of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, while appreciating the cooperation and valuable intelligence provided by the public. He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to provide timely information to security agencies.