Wanted Since 2023: Police Arrest Suspected Ammunition Supplier Linked to Banditry Operations

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough in its fight against terrorism and banditry with the arrest of a suspected logistics and ammunition supplier believed to have supported criminal networks operating across parts of northern Nigeria.

The suspect, who had been on the command’s wanted list since 2023, was apprehended during a strategic intelligence-led operation along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCT, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, described the arrest as a significant step in dismantling the supply chains that sustain armed criminal groups across the North-Central region.

According to him, operatives tracked and intercepted the suspect while he was travelling along the busy highway on Tuesday.

The police recovered a cache of ammunition from the suspect during the operation, including 81 rounds of live 7.62mm AK-47 ammunition and 100 rounds of 7.62mm belted ammunition designed for a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).

Sanusi disclosed that the suspect had also been declared wanted by several security agencies operating across neighbouring states due to his alleged role in supplying logistics and weapons to criminal groups.

The investigation, he said, subsequently led to the arrest of the suspect’s sister, who is alleged to have played a supporting role in the operation of the network.

According to the police commissioner, the woman is married to another wanted bandit leader who is currently at large and believed to be operating across Kaduna and Niger states.

“The arrested sister of the suspect happens to be the wife of another wanted bandit terrorising Kaduna and Niger States and currently at large,” Sanusi said.

“She has also been involved in the supply of ammunition to her brother for onward sale to terrorists and bandits.”

Preliminary investigations, the police chief revealed, indicate that both suspects are linked to a broader network responsible for providing logistical support, ammunition and operational supplies to bandit and terrorist groups operating in Kaduna, Niger and communities bordering the Federal Capital Territory.

Security analysts have repeatedly identified arms suppliers and logistics coordinators as critical enablers of violent criminal activities across the region, making their arrest an important aspect of counter-terrorism operations.

Meanwhile, the police command also announced the arrest of two suspected members of a notorious “one chance” robbery syndicate operating within Abuja.

According to Sanusi, operatives attached to the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) made the arrest while conducting routine anti-crime patrols along the Giri-Lugbe Road on May 15.

The officers reportedly noticed a distressed young woman crying for help and immediately stopped to investigate.

The victim informed the patrol team that she had just been robbed by suspected “one chance” operators who dispossessed her of valuables before abandoning her along the road.

Acting swiftly on the information, the officers launched an immediate pursuit of the suspects.

The operation led to the interception of a blue Volkswagen Golf vehicle with registration number SKK 567 AG, in which the two suspects were travelling.

A search conducted on the vehicle led to the recovery of several exhibits, including a laptop computer, an iPhone, a laptop charger, two knives and a pair of scissors.

Sanusi said the arrests reflect the command’s intensified efforts to combat violent crimes and restore public confidence in security across the Federal Capital Territory.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to proactive policing and intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling criminal networks and protecting residents.

The commissioner also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements, activities or individuals to security agencies.

According to him, timely and credible information from residents remains one of the most effective tools in preventing crime and enhancing public safety throughout the FCT.