Three Suspects Tied to Abuja Kidnapping Ring Arrested

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested three men allegedly responsible for a wave of kidnappings and murders across Abuja and neighbouring states.

In a statement released Thursday, June 17, Police Public Relations Officer SP Josephine Adeh confirmed the arrests of 27-year-old Ya’u Shittu (Kaduna State), 30-year-old Sale Usman (Niger State), and 28-year-old Ibrahim Abdullahi (Abuja). The trio was apprehended during coordinated sting operations carried out between June 13 and 18 in Kaduna, Niger, and Nasarawa states by the elite Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor O. Godfrey.

All three suspects had been on the Command’s most-wanted list and have reportedly confessed to several heinous crimes—including the 2024 murder of a pastor and the kidnapping of children in Mpape, during which their father was fatally shot. They were also linked to the abduction of a woman for whom a ₦10 million ransom was paid; each suspect allegedly pocketed ₦500,000.

The arrests were made possible through “credible digital reconstructive intelligence,” the statement said.

One suspect, Ibrahim Abdullahi—who is believed to have also supplied weapons to the gang—led officers to a hideout in Bukuru, Nasarawa State on June 18. However, the operation turned violent as the police team encountered gunfire from other members of the gang. Abdullahi tried to escape but was shot and rearrested. The other assailants fled and are currently being pursued.

Recovered from the scene were a long-bladed knife and several fetish charms believed to be used for protection.

FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao S. Adewale, praised the Scorpion Squad for their courage and urged residents to stay alert and report suspicious activities. The suspects remain in custody as investigations deepen and efforts to apprehend their accomplices continue.