The Nigeria Police Force, in its ongoing anti-crime and anti-kidnapping operations, has rescued 10 kidnapped victims in Katsina State, arrested a notorious wanted criminal in Taraba State, and recovered a stolen police AK-47 rifle.
Additionally, the police seized a cache of arms and ammunition concealed in a bag of rice from an abandoned vehicle in Anambra State, while two more pump-action guns and ammunition were recovered from the residence of a suspected cultist in the same state.
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this on Sunday, said:
“These achievements highlight the Nigeria Police Force’s dedication to proactively tackling crime and ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian citizens.”
According to Adejobi, on April 19, 2025, around 9:35 p.m., operatives of the Faskari Division of the Katsina State Police Command, acting on intelligence, successfully foiled a kidnap attempt along the Funtua-Gusau highway.
The officers engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle, forcing them to flee with bullet wounds.
As a result, ten victims — two drivers and eight passengers — were rescued unharmed and later reunited with their families.
In a related development, on April 18, 2025, at about 11:00 a.m., operatives attached to the State Intelligence Department (SID) in Taraba State, in collaboration with local vigilantes, apprehended Umar Ahmad, 40, at a roadblock in Jalingo.
Ahmad, a notorious armed robber, had been on the police wanted list for several months.
During interrogation, Ahmad led operatives to Mayo Faran Village in Mayo Belwa LGA, a border town between Taraba and Adamawa States.
A search of the area resulted in the recovery of two AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, and 39 rounds of live ammunition.
Investigations revealed that one of the rifles belonged to the Taraba State Police Command and had been stolen during a 2023 ambush in which kidnappers killed ASP Aminu Nuhu.
Continuing their successes, on April 17, 2025, at about 1:30 p.m., police officers from the Fegge Divisional Headquarters in Anambra State intercepted a suspiciously parked shuttle bus along Port Harcourt Road, Upper Iweka, Onitsha.
Upon searching the bus, they found five pump-action guns, eight live cartridges, and two handcuffs hidden in a bag of rice.
The bus has been subjected to forensic examination, and efforts are ongoing to locate the suspects.
Later the same day, at about 1:27 p.m., operatives of the Rapid Response Squad/Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Anambra State Command, acting on credible intelligence, arrested a 25-year-old suspect, Israel Akachukwu, at his residence on Ezeigwe Street, Nkpor, Idemili North LGA.
A search of his apartment yielded two pump-action guns, two live cartridges, a cutlass, a yellow axe, and a dagger.
The suspect confessed to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity and is cooperating with the police in identifying other gang members.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, commended the officers for their professionalism and swift actions that led to these significant breakthroughs.
He reiterated the Force’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property nationwide.
“These recent successes demonstrate the effectiveness of intelligence-led policing and the dedication of our officers to combating crime across the nation,” the IGP stated.
The Nigeria Police Force urged the public to continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies by providing timely and useful information to aid in preventing crime and ensuring public safety.
