The Federal Capital Territory on Tuesday, designated 17 areas in the nation’s capital as criminal black-spots.

The areas are Apo-Dutse Panteka; Diplomatic Zone; New PDP Secretariat; Kabusa Panteka; Ajakaita (Tungan-Maje); Abuja-Kaduna Road; Jabi Panteka; Apo-Waru Panteka; Area 1 (Monkey Village) and Durumi Village.

Others are Gwarimpa; Angwan Tivi; Mpape (Mashafa and Shishinpe villages) ;Durumi III (Burukutu Garden); Mabushi (Gishiri Village); Kubwa (by Pipeline and NEPA Road) and Maitama (under the Transcorp Bridge).

The command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh in a statement on Tuesday, said the police identified the black spots during a series of strategic raids.

Adeh added that the daily raids are critical to maintaining law and order in the FCT. The statement partly read, “As part of its unwavering efforts to combat criminal activities and protect public and private infrastructure within the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Police Command has carried out a series of strategic raids targeting identified black spots across the territory. “Why Do Police Carry Out Daily Raids? These proactive operations are aimed at: Preventing Crime: Targeting criminal black-spots to deter and prevent crimes before they occur, ensuring a safer environment for residents.

Protecting Infrastructure: Disrupting activities that lead to the theft and vandalism of public infrastructure such as manhole covers, streetlights, and power cables among others.

“The Command identified and raided the following criminal hideouts across the FCT: Apo-Dutse Panteka; Diplomatic Zone; New PDP Secretariat; Kabusa Panteka; Ajakaita (Tungan-Maje); Abuja-Kaduna Road; Jabi Panteka; Apo-Waru Panteka; Area 1 (Monkey Village); Durumi Village; Gwarimpa; Angwan Tivi; Mpape (Mashafa and Shishinpe villages); Durumi III (Burukutu Garden);Mabushi (Gishiri Village); Kubwa (by Pipeline and NEPA Road) and Maitama (under the Transcorp Bridge). “ Adeh stated that during the daily raids in the listed areas, operatives have 348 suspects for various criminal activities.

“ She also said the command recovered weapons, manholes, and streetlights among others. Adeh stated, “Seizure of 10 trucks loaded with vandalized metals, disrupting the market for stolen items; Recovery of 26 manhole covers and 20 solar/streetlight poles, ensuring the restoration of critical public infrastructure.

“Confiscation of large quantities of AEDC armoured cables, preventing further vandalism, Seizure of substantial quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and assorted hard drugs, reducing drug-related crimes. Recovery of 11 firearms, eliminating dangerous weapons from circulation.”

Jack Smith, the special counsel who led prosecution against United States President-elect Donald Trump, out of fear resigned and fled the country ahead of Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

According to statements of officials in the document submitted to the US District Judge Aileen Cannon, Smith had completed his work and submitted his final confidential report on January 7 this year before he finally took leave of the United States Department of Justice on January 10.

The high-profile cases handled by Smith involved Trump’s alleged mishandling of confidential documents after he left office and his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election which he contested and lost.

Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor, was appointed in November 2022 to steer the affairs of the Justice Department’s ongoing investigations into Trump’s cases.

But with Trump’s victory in the November 5 election, Smith dismissed the cases, citing a Justice Department rule against prosecuting incumbent presidents.

While asking courts to drop the charges, Smith’s legal team, however, acknowledged the validity of the cases but stated that they could not pursue them in view of the Trump’s impeding return to the Presidency.

This development signals the collapse of charges against Donald Trump, allowing him to take office without facing legal repercussions.

Trump had earlier threatened to fire Smith upon his assumption of office as second term US President.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the dismissal and prosecution of two Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) for alleged misconduct, dishonesty, corruption, sabotage and conduct unbecoming of public officials.
The Commission also approved the demotion of six other officers for similar crimes.

Among those affected are two police chief inspectors who have been demoted to deputy chief inspector, one deputy chief inspector who has been reduced to assistant chief inspector, and three assistant chief inspectors who are now inspectors.i

The information was disclosed in a statement from the PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani, and shared with journalists on Monday, January 13, 2025.

The statement indicated that these actions were a key outcome of the closing phase of the Commission’s second plenary meeting, which took place at its headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.

In addition, the Commission has imposed a severe reprimand on ten senior police officers found guilty of unauthorized disclosure of state secrets, dishonesty, sabotage and conduct unbecoming of senior police personnel.

In addition, nine senior officers were reprimanded, while a deputy police commissioner was acquitted and acquitted, and an assistant chief inspector of police received a warning letter.

The Commission has previously made recommendations regarding police promotions, which have resulted in the promotion of several senior police officers.

This includes the promotion of eleven Commissioners of Police to the rank of Deputy Inspector Generals of Police, 16 Deputy Commissioners to Commissioners, 21 Deputy Commissioners to Deputy Commissioners, 57 Chief Inspectors to Deputy Commissioners and 1,348 Chief Inspectors to Chief Inspectors.

Notable among these promotions are Obi-Ejoh Nnamdi Patrick, the former Commander of the Anti-Narcotics Branch at the FCT Commando, who is now stationed at the Kaduna Command, and Milicent Amadi, the Officer in Charge of Surveillance at the State CID in Ebonyi State Command.

According to Channels Television, the statement issued to the media on Monday noted that 876 Deputy Chief Inspectors have been elevated to Chief Inspectors, including Daniel Ndukwe, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Enugu State Command.

DIG Hashimu Argungu, the Chairman of the Commission, emphasized the importance of discipline among Nigerian police officers to ensure that they effectively discharge their constitutional duties of law enforcement and protection of lives and property.

He also emphasized the Commission’s commitment to address pending disciplinary cases (PDM) to avoid unnecessary stagnation of police officers.

These decisions have been formally communicated to the Inspector General of Police for implementation, as indicated in a letter signed by the Secretary of the Commission, Onyemuche Nnamani.