The FCT Police Command has arrested four suspected kidnappers and drug suppliers alleged to be providing ammunition and illicit substances to bandits operating around Abuja and neighboring states.

The command disclosed this in a statement shared on X on Saturday.

The suspects were identified as Bello Abdullahi, Shuaibu Iliya, Idris Abubakar, and Misbahu Isa.

According to the statement, the arrests were made on July 5 during a clearance operation in remote communities around Kwali, Abaji and Kuje Area Councils.

The operation, led by the FCT Police Command Anti-Kidnapping Unit, targeted kidnapper hideouts and caves in Nago forest in Kuje Area Council.

Police said one of the suspects, Misbahu Isa, led operatives to Zuba motor park where 42 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered concealed inside his Volkswagen Golf saloon vehicle used for commercial operations.

“Investigations revealed that Misbahu Isa is an arms dealer responsible for supplying ammunition to several kidnappers across Niger, Kaduna, and Kogi states,” the statement reads in part.

“Most recently, he supplied over twenty thousand (20,000) rounds of live ammunition to wanted bandits and kidnappers and received a payment of three-million-naira (N3,000,000) as payment for the deliveries.”

Other exhibits recovered from the suspects include: six bottles of Codolyn syrup; nine bottles of Piscof syrup, two bottles of Exiplon syrup, one bottle of NGC Codeine syrup; 125 wraps of dry leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa; one bunch of fresh leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa; and 21 tablets and 17 capsules of Tramadol 100mg.

Others include 78 tablets of Exzole; one magazine loaded with six rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition; and one torchlight, one Tecno handset, one national identity slip, one bag of assorted clothes and cash sum of N170,000.

The FCT Police Command said the clearance operation is part of ongoing efforts to rid the Federal Capital Territory of violent criminals operating within border communities of the FCT and neighboring states.

It added that investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion. (The Sun)

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