The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command says its officers killed two suspected bandits and rescued five kidnapped residents during an operation in Abuja.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Mohammed Sanusi, told journalists on Wednesday at the command headquarters that he personally led the operation against a gang linked to recent attacks in parts of the territory.
The incident followed the abduction of five residents of the Paze community in Byazhin Ward, Bwari Area Council, last week. It was gathered that terrorists invaded the community on Thursday, abducted five people, including a pastor, and killed a local vigilante member, Shuaibu Yerima.
Sanusi said the victims were freed in a joint mission involving the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Kubwa Area Command, local hunters, and vigilante groups.
He explained that at about 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, he led a combined team on a search, clearance, and rescue operation across Paze and Byazhin communities.
Two suspects, Icheh Mohammadu and Abubakar Usman, were arrested, while other gang members fled into nearby hills.
“And during the operation, the police team also recovered two AK-47 rifles with magazines, while two of the gang members were arrested during the crossfire,” he said.
The commissioner added that the rescued victims had been taken to hospital for treatment, with efforts ongoing to reunite them with their families.
Security operations, he said, have been stepped up in the area to track down fleeing suspects and break the criminal network.
He also urged healthcare workers to report anyone with gunshot wounds or suspicious injuries.
The FCT has seen a rise in kidnappings and violent attacks in recent months, raising fresh concerns about safety in outskirt communities of Abuja.
