The police on Tuesday said they have arrested 72 suspects nationwide over kidnapping, murder, car theft, banditry, unlawful possession of firearms, gun running and other criminal offences.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said at a media briefing in Abuja that the arrest was made in two weeks.

Mr Adejobi said 34 of the suspects were arrested over alleged kidnapping, during which 22 victims were rescued and reunited with their families.

He said 10 sets of military camouflage uniforms, 10 pieces of camel pack, 12 military hats, three cardigans, three T-shirts, two belts and three anklets were recovered from the suspects.

Mr Adejobi said other items recovered were six AK 49 rifles, two SMGs, one locally fabricated AK 47 rifle, a revolver, 290 rounds of AK 47 live ammunition, four AK47 magazines, and two SMG magazines.

He added that two pump action rifles, a Dane gun, two Volkswagen Golf cars, bags containing several illicit drugs, N2.2 million cash and other dangerous weapons were also recovered from the suspects.

Mr Adejobi said police operatives, acting on credible intelligence, also launched a manhunt and arrested a suspect over illegal possession of prohibited firearms in Kaduna within the same period.

The police spokesman said the suspect was arrested on February 22 and had confessed to owning a locally fabricated gun kept in the custody of his friend.

According to him, the suspect revealed that he used to belong to a gang of kidnappers and carried out several kidnappings but never got a share of the ransom received by the gang leader.

“This prompted him to steal the weapon from the group with the intent of eventually forming his crew,” Mr Adejobi said.

He added that on February 9, at about 12:55 a.m., operatives from the FCT Command intercepted and arrested a suspect in a Toyota Hiace bus with Reg No APP 489 XE.

Mr Adejobi said the suspect was conveying 12 underage children, four males and eight females, heading to Ogun.

The police spokesman said preliminary investigation revealed that the children, aged between five and 16 years, all from Nasarawa State, were allegedly being trafficked to Ogun.

He said two other suspects have been arrested in connection with the case. He said efforts are on to reunite the children with their respective families.

Mr Adejobi said in another operation, the FCT anti-kidnapping unit of the command, on February 2, arrested six suspected kidnappers.

He said the suspects were apprehended in a hotel at Bassa Village along Airport Road following actionable intelligence.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being responsible for the abduction of one Joshua Eze on January 27, 2023, around Sabon Lugbe, where the wife suffered a bullet injury in the process of her husband’s abduction.

“Efforts of the operatives led to the successful rescue of Eze on January 28.

“One AK-47 rifle, three cutlasses, 10 mobile phones, cash sum of N345,000 and other valuables were recovered from the suspects,” he added.

Mr Adejobi said the six suspects had confessed to their involvement in the crime and many other kidnappings in the FCT.

(NAN)