News
INSECURITY: Wike places N20m bounty on two wanted Abuja kidnappers
By Francesca Hangeior
The Minister, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Nyesom Wike has put a N20 million bounty on two wanted kidnappers, Dahiru Adamu and Abu Ibrahim, who has allegedly been terrorising the nation’s capital.
This was as he ordered police officers to fish out the kidnappers, dead or alive.
He stated this on Wednesday when he met the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, during a parade of 23 criminal suspects, at the FCT Police Command Headquarters, Garki, Abuja.
He noted that his administration would not give criminals breathing space just as they’ve not been giving FCT residents breathing space.
Seven other members of the kidnapping gang – Usman Muhazu, Aliyu Muhammed, Auwal Lahiru, Rabiu Sani, Madina Abubakar, Jonah Elimelechi, and Saminu Idris; have been arrested by a combined team of operatives of the Utako Divisional Headquarters and the Anti-Kidnapping team, following credible intelligence.
They were arrested in Pyankasa, Tudun Wada, and Ketti village, FCT, in connection to the kidnap of 14 notable persons in the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking on Wednesday, while calling on the attention of the CP, Wike said, “You’re still looking for two amongst them, right? Okay, I will put money on them. I have placed a N20 million bounty on the two of them. Anyone who finds them would get the N20 million.
“Fish them out, dead or alive. We will not give them breathing space just as they’ve not been giving us breathing space,” the Minister added.
Speaking earlier, CP Igweh noted, “Seven members of a kidnapping gang, Usman Muhazu, Aliyu Muhammed, Auwal Lahiru, Rabiu Sani, Madina Abubakar, Jonah Elimelechi, Saminu Idris, have been arrested by a combined team of operatives of the Utako Divisional Headquarters and the Anti-Kidnapping team, following credible intelligence.
“They were arrested in Pyankasa, Tudun Wada and Ketti village, FCT, in connection to the kidnap of 14 notable persons in the Federal Capital Territory. They were arrested by operatives of the Utako Divisional Headquarters and the Anti-Kidnapping team, following credible intelligence.
“However, we are still looking for two remaining members of the gang, Dahiru Adamu and Abu Ibrahim whose wives were arrested while they were about to receive a N9 million ransom on behalf of their husbands who are on the run.
“Members of this gang of kidnappers who have been giving the FCT sleepless nights and are on the wanted list of the command for a long time, have now been arrested. They are responsible for the kidnapping of five victims in Federal Mortgage Housing Estate, Kabusa, three persons at Ketti village, Fulani residence of Alhaji Sani.”
The police boss added that “the abduction of a woman and her gate man in Kabusa Estate, one Mr Sunday Zakwai and four others. They equally killed a district head. And two staff members were kidnapped at the Defence Estate, Kabusa.”
During the parade, the CP noted that a total of 23 suspects were arrested, while ₦9 million, six AK-47 rifles, bulletproof vests, and a locally-fabricated walkie-talkie, were recovered from them.
Igweh added, “A total of 23 suspects were arrested, while ₦9million, six AK-47 riffles, bulletproof vests, and a locally-fabricated walkie-talkie, were recovered from them.
“Aside from the seven suspected kidnappers arrested, we also arrested some -one-chance suspects, and others for various offences. On February 11, at about 4:00 pm, the operatives of the FCT Police Command attached to Mabushi Divisional Headquarters, in the continued fight against criminality arrested eight notorious armed robbery suspects terrorising the FCT.
“The arrested suspects are; Auwal Yusuf (an ex-convict), Ismail Hudu, Sylvester Poto and Abdusalam Mamuda, Sunday Udoma aka Akido, Ifeoma Ngoze-Obodo, Muhammed Telegbe aka Chocolate, Sarah Mohammed-Telegbe.
“Acting on credible intelligence, the suspects who are responsible for several one-chance activities in the past were trailed to Central Area in an attempt to rob some innocent residents and were promptly arrested. The suspects confessed to using toy guns and knives to scare their victims to illegally obtain from them. The suspects will be charged to court soon.”
Kidnapping and banditry have become a menace in the country as bandits have abducted several Nigerians and received ransoms in millions.
In January 2024, operatives of the Special Intervention Squad, Federal Capital Territory Police Command, neutralised three notorious bandits in a forest within the Bwari area of Abuja.
Within the same month, a kidnap kingpin identified as Janari, who was said to have masterminded several kidnappings within Kaduna State and Abuja, alongside some of his foot soldiers were killed during operations conducted by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch in Kaduna state.
The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has taken delivery of five new helicopters as the Federal Government steps up efforts to modernise the country’s airpower capabilities and strengthen military operations against security threats.
The platforms comprise three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy and two H-125 helicopters manufactured by Airbus Helicopters.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, the NAF said the three AW-109s, which are part of 10 recently acquired by the Federal Government, were received in Lagos on September 15, 2026, while the remaining seven are expected to be delivered before the end of the year. The two H-125 helicopters had been delivered earlier.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, said the new helicopters would increase aircraft availability and improve the NAF’s ability to support ongoing military operations.
“The arrival of these five helicopters provides greater flexibility in the employment of airpower in support of ground troops in ongoing operations,” Aneke said.
He said the AW-109 Trekker B helicopters would enhance the NAF’s capabilities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support, armed escort, combat search and rescue, and other joint operations.
Aneke added that the H-125 helicopters would provide light helicopter support for various operational requirements.
The new platforms are undergoing post-delivery assembly and technical and crew-readiness processes ahead of their induction and operationalisation.
Aneke said the increased rotary-wing capacity would strengthen support for joint forces conducting operations against terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.
He said the NAF would also prioritise maintenance and logistics support to ensure the new aircraft remain available for operations.
The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in office, declaring that there will be “no vacancy” in the Presidential Villa, Abuja for the next four or five years.
Oba Akiolu gave the support when the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, led members of the council on a courtesy visit to his palace in Lagos on Monday.
The monarch urged politicians to approach the 2027 General Elections with responsibility and ensure that the electoral process is peaceful and serves the interests of Nigerians.
Oba Akiolu cautioned members of the campaign council against actions capable of undermining the peace and stability of the country, even as he urged them to uphold honesty and shun the Machiavellian principle that the end justifies the means.
Speaking, the Director-General of the Campaign Council, Yari, said the delegation was in Lagos to seek the monarch’s blessings, prayers and counsel as the council begins its nationwide campaign activities ahead of the 2027 polls.
Yari said the APC believed President Tinubu deserved a second term to consolidate his administration’s efforts in the areas of the economy, security and infrastructure.
The Campaign D-G, while acknowledging the economic difficulties facing Nigerians, appealed for continued support for the president, saying APC leaders from the North would work to secure strong backing for Tinubu’s re-election across the region.
Receiving the delegation, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the visit as significant, noting that the council had made the Oba’s palace one of its early stops following its engagement with the Sokoto Caliphate.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said the visit underscored Lagos’ strategic importance to Nigeria’s political process, describing the state as the country’s commercial and economic nerve centre as well as a major political hub.
The visit was attended by Lagos APC leaders, local government chairmen, members of the National Assembly, state lawmakers and other party stakeholders.
Former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Alhaji Mohammed Mani, has been endorsed as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Niger state
Alhaji Mani replaces Abubakar Sulaiman, who was elected at the PDP primary last May.
Sulaiman voluntarily withdrawn from the position in the interest of the peace unity and progress of the party.
The endorsement of the former FIRS boss for the governorship contest was made by PDP stakeholders from across the state at the state party secretariat.
Addressing the stakeholders, Alhaji Mani promised to deliver the state to the PDP in next year’s election and solicited the support of party faithful for the realisation of the objective.
The new PDP candidate had earlier contested for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress(APC) which Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago got by “ consensus.”
He was among the APC aspirants who lost in the primary election and recently defected to the PDP.
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