The FCT Police Command has arrested a man accused of supplying illicit drugs and other logistics to the kidnapping gang responsible for the July 8 abduction at Yellow House in Mpape.
The suspect, Umaru Danda, was arrested by operatives of the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit at Gadabiu village in neighbouring Niger State on July 10 following investigations into the Mpape kidnapping incident.
Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the Command Headquarters in Abuja on recent operational successes recorded across the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the CP, investigations revealed that the suspect, Umaru Danda, played a key role in sustaining the gang by supplying hard drugs, logistics and other illicit substances used during their operations.
Sanusi said the suspect subsequently led operatives to three hideouts used by the kidnappers in Niger State, where several exhibits were recovered.
“Kidnapping gangs do not operate on weapons and ransom alone. Our investigations have revealed that they also rely on a steady supply of illicit drugs and logistics to sustain their criminal activities,” he said.
Items recovered from the hideouts included 25 cards of 225mg tramadol, 30 cards of 100mg tramadol, two wraps of a substance suspected to be cocaine, a 500mg pack of cannabis pills, dried substances suspected to be cannabis sativa, two bottles containing 500 tablets each of Embazol, two black bags containing dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, a digital scale, two AirPods, two ATM cards, two bags, N250,000 cash and an AK-47 rifle.
The CP said the suspect remains in police custody and will be charged to court after investigations are concluded.
Sanusi also announced the successful rescue of a kidnap victim abducted from the Karshi area of the FCT on July 12 after suspected kidnappers reportedly fired sporadically to create panic before fleeing with the victim.
He said following a distress call, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit immediately launched a coordinated rescue operation, combing the Karshi axis and the adjoining Waru Hills, which provide routes linking the FCT with Nasarawa State.
According to him, the operation paid off in the early hours of July 16 when the victim was rescued unharmed without the payment of ransom.
“The operation paid off on the 16th of July, 2026, at approximately 12:45 a.m. when the hostage was successfully rescued unharmed and without the payment of ransom. She was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment and has since been reunited with her family,” he said.
Police recovered a locally made Makarov pistol, a dagger, military camouflage clothing and assorted charms during the rescue operation.
The Commissioner also announced the arrest of four suspected vehicle thieves accused of targeting commercial drivers operating on Bolt and Uber platforms.
He identified the suspects as Ibrahim Ismail, Ahmad Umar, Riskwa Shehu and Umar Abubakar, saying they were arrested on July 7 by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit following credible intelligence.
Preliminary investigations, according to him, revealed that the suspects posed as passengers, booked vehicles through ride-hailing platforms before robbing drivers of their vehicles and other valuables.
Police recovered two suspected stolen vehicles from the suspects including an ash-coloured Toyota RAV4 with registration number YAB 240 DL and a grey Honda Civic with registration number ABC 72 JP.
Sanusi further disclosed that operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested three suspected armed robbery and “one chance” suspects along the Life Camp-Gwarimpa Underpass on July 14 after they allegedly attempted to evade police patrol.
The suspects, identified as Orji Chibueze, 35, Chibuike Odo, 33, and Chibuikem Stanley, 36, were arrested after a hot chase.
Items recovered from their vehicle included a wig, screwdriver, scissors, knife, dried substance suspected to be cannabis popularly known as “colos”, three mobile phones, a cap and a rope.
The Commissioner also briefed journalists on a separate operation carried out by officers attached to Nyanya Division, who responded to a distress call over an alleged armed robbery at Area A, Nyanya, in the early hours of July 19.
He said the officers met five armed suspects attacking a resident, identified simply as Mr. Linus, after allegedly digging through the perimeter of his shop to gain access to his residence.
According to the CP, the suspects opened fire on the responding officers, who returned fire, injuring two of them before they escaped.
He said the victim was rescued while a follow-up operation led officers to a residence where blood stains allegedly left by one of the fleeing suspects resulted in the arrest of 20-year-old Abdulraman Ismail.
A search of the premises, he said, led to the recovery of bloodstained clothes, a toy gun, a digger, two machetes, a military belt, a black bag containing identity cards, a counterfeit N1,000 note, jewellery, a torchlight, assorted charms and an MTN SIM card.
The CP said further investigations led to the arrest of Jamilu Yahaya, 25, who allegedly directed police to another suspect, Junaidu Usman, identified as a chemist said to have treated one of the injured robbery suspects now on the run.
Sanusi said efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspect, while all those arrested in the various operations would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
He added that the Command had also recovered five vehicles stolen within the FCT from different parts of the country, noting that while some had been returned to their owners, others were yet to be claimed.
The Commissioner attributed the successes to intelligence provided by residents and urged members of the public to continue supporting the police with timely information.
“The fight against crime cannot be won by one side alone. Security remains a collective responsibility, and together, we can build a safer and more secure Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
