Operatives of the FCT Police Command, Department of State Services (DSS), and Guards Brigade have busted the notorious ‘Mai One Million’ kidnapper syndicate in a joint raid in Abuja.
Four suspects – Yahaya Abubakar, 25, Mohammed Mohamed (ex-convict), 32, Umar Aliyu, 20, and Nura Abdullahi (ex-convict), 32 – were arrested and confessed to being members of the syndicate, according to Vanguard.
The operation, which took place on June 7 at about 10:00 am, was carried out after credible intelligence revealed the syndicate’s activities in Gidan Dogo and Kweti Forest, Kaduna State, bordering FCT.
A shootout ensued between the security operatives and the kidnappers, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of victims.
The illegally erected structures used by the kidnappers were demolished during the operation.
FCT Police Commissioner, CP Benneth Igweh, commended the security operatives for their efforts and reiterated the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of FCT residents.
The police urged residents to report suspicious activities through their emergency lines.
Confirming the raid, FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said. “The coordinated operation occasioned a shootout between the bandits and the security operatives, forcing them to scamper to safety and victims rescued. The illegally erected structures by the kidnappers in all the patrolled camps were all decimated.
“The rescued victims have since been reunited with their families and loved ones,” she added.