The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded a total of 300 cases across kidnapping, armed robbery and various categories of crime within the period of three months (October – December 2025).

These cases, resulted in the arrest of 160 suspects and rescue of 32 victims from across various crime fronts.

Also, during the under review, following gun duels with police operatives, 9 armed suspects were killed, and 6 police officers paid the supreme price in the line of duty.

Making this disclosure at a press briefing Friday, in Abuja, Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Miller G. Dantawaye, said kidnapping incidents recorded within the period under review stood at 7 cases, with 41 suspects arrested.

He explained that several kidnapping gangs operating within and around the FCT were disrupted through intelligence-led operations, forest combing exercises, and joint operations with sister security agencies.

Ha added that armed robbery cases recorded stood at 62, resulting in the arrest of 38 suspects, leading to the dismantling of several armed robbery syndicates and recovery of firearms and live ammunitions.

He also notated that cases of “one-chance” robbery recorded stood at 26, with 12 suspects arrested, following sustained surveillance, stop-and-search operations, and targeted raids.

Furthermore, the FCT CP said car theft and vehicle snatching cases recorded were 35, with 11 suspects arrested and 20 stolen vehicles comprising vehicles recovered from car theft, armed robbery, kidnapping, and “one-chance” robbery operations were successfully recovered within and outside the FCT.

He added that arrests were also recorded in respect of homicide, cultism, drug-related offences, illegal possession of firearms, cyber-related fraud, and other violent crimes, with 120 suspects apprehended across these categories.

According to him, cash recoveries made from various criminal operations amounted to fifteen million, four hundred and fifty thousand naira (N15,450,000) only, including proceeds of kidnapping, armed robbery, fraud, and other crimes.

Recovered firearms and exhibits include; twenty-one (21) AK-47 rifles, ten(10)shotguns, one (1) K2 rifle, thirty-seven (37) locally made pistols, thirty-one (31) locally fabricated firearms, four (4) Magazines, thirteen (13)knives, seven(7) cutlasses, two(2) long scaffold rods, seven (7) phones, eighty six (86) bags of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, four (4) digital scales, one hundred and one (131) Armoured cables this in a tinted glass vehicle , hand saw and iron bar, three (3) ATM cards, two(2)ID cards, large quantity of illicit drugs and substances, one thousand seven hundred(1700) rounds of live ammunition of various calibres, fourteen (14) vehicles linked to car theft, armed robbery, kidnapping and “one-chance” robbery cases were recovered both within and outside the FCT, twelve (12) counterfeit stamps, an counterfeit boarding tickets etc.

He added that other exhibits recovered include communication devices, motorcycles, dangerous weapons, and other items linked to criminal activities.

He opined that FCT situated at the centre of the nation and sharing boundaries with Niger, Kaduna, Kogi, and Nasarawa states, functions as the nation’s political and diplomatic center draws in mixture of persons with diverse motives and mindsets from law abiding citizens to those driven by criminal motives seeking to exploit its economic, political, and social significance.

“Since my assumption of duty as the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command in October 2025, the Command has undertaken comprehensive review of the prevailing security situation across the six Area Councils of FCT. This assessment identified key issues common to every growing society including kidnapping, armed robbery, “one-chance” robbery, car theft, drug-related offences and other minor crimes.

“In line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, we adopted focused, intelligence-driven operational approach, anchored on crime analysis, hotspot mapping, collaboration with sister security agencies and continuous operational evaluation to guide deployments and tactical responses. And these strategies employed during the time under review were built around strengthened community policing engagements, sustained intelligence-led policing, targeted clearance operations, enhanced visibility policing, public enlightenment and strategic communication,” he stated.

Moving forward, the CP said: “Building on the operational gains recorded since my assumption of duty, FCT Police Command will continue to intensify on community policing engagements, deepen intelligence-led policing strategies, sustain targeted clearance operations, strengthen inter-agency collaboration, and expand public enlightenment initiatives to address evolving security challenges within the FCT.” (Nigerian Tribune)

Update news