 Police Command has prevented what could have been a major armed attack){kind=link}
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has prevented what could have been a major armed attack and kidnapping attempt by suspected bandits in Byazhin Forest, a suburb near Kubwa in Abuja.
In a late-night operation, police officers intercepted two armed groups believed to be part of a larger network plotting coordinated assaults on rural communities around the Bwari axis. An AK-47 rifle and thirty rounds of live ammunition were recovered during the raid.
According to a statement released by FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the operation followed credible intelligence from the Force Headquarters Technical Intelligence Unit, which revealed that a wanted bandit leader, identified as Idrisa “Mai Duna”, had finalised plans to attack several villages around Byazhin.
“The Command acted swiftly on the intelligence received, deploying tactical teams for an ambush along suspected routes used by the criminals,” Adeh said.
At about 1:00 a.m. on October 11, officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit engaged the bandits in a fierce gun duel that lasted nearly twenty minutes.
The criminals were eventually subdued and forced to flee into the dense forest, leaving behind their weapons.
A police source who was part of the operation told reporters that the quick response of the tactical team prevented “what would have been a devastating attack on unsuspecting residents.”
Following the confrontation, reinforcements from nearby police and military formations were deployed to comb the area and block potential escape routes.
The police recovered an AK-47 rifle with a defaced serial number, one magazine, and 30 rounds of live 7.6mm ammunition at the scene.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Benneth Igweh, commended the officers for their bravery, noting that the operation underscores the Command’s resolve to tackle insecurity head-on.
“This successful operation sends a strong message to criminal elements that Abuja is not a safe haven. We remain committed to keeping every community secure,” Igweh stated.
The Police Command has also directed medical facilities across the FCT and neighbouring states to immediately report anyone presenting with gunshot wounds to the nearest police station.
Recent months have seen a rise in bandit activity across border areas linking Abuja to Niger and Kaduna States.
In response, the FCT Command has intensified joint patrols with military units and local vigilante groups to dismantle criminal hideouts in forested zones.
Security experts say the latest breakthrough will likely boost public confidence in the police and reassure residents of rural communities that law enforcement agencies are taking proactive steps to secure the capital’s outskirts.
“This is a victory not just for the police but for every resident of Abuja,” said a local security analyst. “The speed and precision of the operation show that intelligence-led policing is working.”
The police have urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements around their communities as efforts continue to restore lasting peace in the FCT.