Police operatives in the Federal Capital Territory have arrested members of six separate “one-chance” criminal syndicates following intensified policing operations across Abuja.
The arrests, confirmed by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, mark a major breakthrough in the ongoing campaign against robbery and commuter-related crimes within the nation’s capital.
According to the police chief, the suspects were picked up through sustained night patrols and coordinated intelligence-led operations, particularly during late-night and early-morning hours when such crimes are most prevalent.
Moreover, Dantawaye explained that senior police officers now personally supervise patrol teams, ensuring officers remain actively deployed on major routes and flashpoints until at least 6 a.m.
“This approach has changed the dynamics of crime prevention in the FCT,” the commissioner said.
“We are no longer reacting after the fact; many of these suspects were apprehended either during an operation or shortly after committing their crimes.”
Furthermore, he noted that the dismantling of the syndicates followed a deliberate investigative pattern, beginning with the arrest of individual suspects and expanding through detailed follow-up inquiries.
“Most criminal networks collapse once you identify a single link,” Dantawaye said.
“From one arrest, we build intelligence, trace associates, and eventually take the entire group into custody.”
He added that the current arrests are part of broader efforts to secure Abuja during the Yuletide season and maintain stability beyond the festivities.
Meanwhile, police authorities acknowledged that the FCT previously recorded incidents of one-chance robberies and isolated kidnapping cases, but stressed that a reinforced security architecture has significantly reduced such threats.
Hence, residents were urged to remain vigilant, cooperate with law enforcement, and promptly report suspicious movements, as the command intensifies its clampdown on criminal syndicates operating within the capital.
The police commissioner assured Abuja residents that the command remains committed to sustained patrols, continuous training, and intelligence-driven policing to prevent a resurgence of organized street crime in the FCT.