Police Kill Three Kidnap Kingpins In Abuja Shootout, Rescue Victims

OPERATIVES of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have killed three notorious kidnapping kingpins in a gun battle, rescued victims and recorded major successes in fight against robbery and drug syndicates in Abuja.
Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the Command, Ajao Adewale, who disclosed this on Friday, September 19, while briefing journalists at the Command headquarters, described the operations as proof of Police’s resilience, strong inter-agency collaboration and residents’ support.
He said: “On September 17, about 10:32 p.m., the same group of bandits struck again at Karu, where one Nafiu Idris, a staff member of the FCTA’s Department of Urban Affairs, was abducted.
“Acting swiftly, the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, in synergy with the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army, DSS operatives, hunters and vigilantes, launched a clearance operation.
“On September 18, about 7:00 a.m., the bandits’ hideout was traced to Zinda Forest, behind the Nigerian Army Estate in Kurudu, bordering Nasarawa State.
“The gang engaged our operatives in a fierce gun battle, but our team overpowered them and three of the notorious criminals were neutralised.”
Recall that on Thursday, September 18, Police operatives stormed a kidnappers’ hideout in Zinda Forest, near the Nigerian Army Estate, Kurudu, and engaged the gang in a fierce shootout, during which the gang leader, Abdullahi Umar (alias Duna), and his lieutenants- Buba Ahmadi (Killer) and Habi Sule (Mai-Kudi)- were killed.
Items recovered include two AK-49 rifles; two magazines, with seven rounds of ammunition; ATM cards; phones; charms and N10,000 cash.
Investigations revealled the gang was behind multiple abductions in Guzape, Karu, Kurudu and Nasarawa and their plan to abduct a resident of Federal Housing Estate, Karu, was thwarted by the raid.
Adewale assured residents that intelligence-driven patrols and joint operations with the military, DSS, hunters and vigilantes would continue to dislodge criminal camps, adding: “Policing is most effective when communities partner with law enforcement.
“We cannot and will not allow the reckless acts of a few to endanger the safety, dignity and well-being of millions of residents and visitors in the FCT.”