The Nigeria Police Force has achieved significant operational successes across 10 states, arresting 334 suspects in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The operations, conducted on September 19 and 20, 2026, were part of the Force's sustained intelligence-led offensive against violent crime nationwide. The raids targeted criminal hotspots, black spots, and uncompleted buildings across the FCT.
In addition to the arrests in the FCT, police operatives in Adamawa State rescued two kidnapped victims unhurt from a suspected kidnappers' hideout at Shako Forest in Toungo Local Government Area. The operation also led to the recovery of two magazines containing 10 rounds of live ammunition, a mobile phone, and a passport. The victims were rescued on September 19, 2026.
The Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Ebonyi State arrested a principal suspect linked to the abduction of a female police officer. The suspect subsequently led combined police teams to a location where the remains of the kidnapped officer were recovered. Another suspected kidnapper in the state led operatives to a crime scene where the remains of another victim were discovered.
In Kaduna State, detectives arrested four suspected kidnappers who confessed to their involvement in kidnapping activities and provided information on fleeing accomplices. A locally made Dane gun was recovered during the operation. Additionally, a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate was arrested at Soba Market and reportedly implicated five fleeing accomplices.
Police in Anambra State arrested a suspected child trafficker while he was allegedly transporting a six-month-old baby boy. The child was rescued and handed over to the appropriate authorities. In Benue State, police tactical teams intervened in a renewed communal conflict at Akpa-Mbakor community in Tarka Local Government Area, dispersing rampaging youths and restoring normalcy to the area.
The Nigeria Police Force also reported recoveries of firearms and ammunition in Ogun, Imo, and Ekiti states. In Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, two firearms were recovered after they were found abandoned in a sack on a farmland. In Oyo State, a truck driver was arrested following a fatal road traffic crash along the Ijebu-Ode/Idi Ayunre Road.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, stated that all the suspects were undergoing investigation by the relevant State Criminal Investigation Departments, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the various criminal groups. The operations demonstrate the Nigeria Police Force's commitment to tackling violent crime and restoring peace in affected areas.
Key points
- 334 suspects arrested in FCT raids
- Kidnapped victims rescued in Adamawa and Ebonyi states
- Firearms and ammunition recovered in various states
