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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested four members of a robbery syndicate that allegedly specialised in posing as passengers on e-hailing platforms before robbing Bolt and Uber drivers of their vehicles and other valuables.
FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this while parading the suspects at the command headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
He identified the suspects as Ibrahim Ismail, Ahmed Omar, Rizku Asehu and Omar Abubakar.
According to the commissioner, the suspects were arrested on July 7, 2026, following credible intelligence acted upon by operatives of the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).
He said police recovered two stolen vehicles from the suspects: an ash-coloured Toyota RAV4 with registration number YAB 240 DL and a grey Honda Civic with registration number ABC 72 JP.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate booked rides through e-hailing platforms before attacking unsuspecting drivers and dispossessing them of their vehicles and valuables.
“The suspects operated by posing as regular passengers booking commercial vehicles through e-ride platforms before attacking the drivers, dispossessing them of their vehicles and other valuables,” Sanusi said.
He disclosed that the suspects would be charged to court after investigations are concluded.
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The police commissioner attributed the arrests to intelligence provided by residents and urged members of the public to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information.
“The achievements I present to you underscore the importance of partnership with the public and timely intelligence sharing in enhancing our efforts to keep the Federal Capital Territory safe for all residents and visitors alike,” he said.
Sanusi also disclosed the arrest of a suspected kidnapper and logistics supplier linked to the July 8 abduction at Yellow House in Mpape, Abuja.
He identified the suspect as Oumar Odunda, a native of Zamfara State, who was arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit at Gedabri Village in neighbouring Nasarawa State on July 10 during a follow-up investigation.
According to him, investigations revealed that the suspect was not only a member of the kidnapping gang but also supplied illicit drugs, logistics and other materials used to sustain the group’s operations.
“Our investigations have revealed that kidnapping gangs do not operate on weapons and ransom alone. They also rely on a steady supply of illicit drugs, stimulants and logistics to sustain their criminal activities,” the commissioner said.
Sanusi said the suspect later led operatives to three gang hideouts in Nasarawa State, where police recovered an AK-47 rifle, 25 packs of Tramadol 225mg, packs of Tramadol 100mg, substances suspected to be cocaine and cannabis sativa, cannabis pills, two bottles each containing 500 tablets of a substance identified as Mbazo, a digital weighing scale, two ATM cards, two bags and N250,000 cash.
He said the suspect remains in police custody and will be prosecuted after investigations are concluded.
The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s determination to dismantle kidnapping networks operating within and around the FCT, while urging residents to continue providing actionable intelligence to security agencies.
