Nigeria: Police Raid Kidnappers' Den in Abuja, Kill One During Shootout - Official

The police said the arrested suspects have confessed to being involved in a series of kidnapping incidents and other heinous crimes in Abuja and its environs.

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said it has raided a kidnappers' camp in an Abuja border community, arrested three suspects and neutralised one.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, Josephine Adeh, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

She said the raid was part of the continuous efforts by the command against criminality in FCT.

According to her, police operatives from Utako Divisional Headquarters, led by Victor Godfrey, a chief superintendent of police, stormed an identified kidnappers' hideouts in Chikara, a border community between Abuja and Kogi.

Ms Adeh said the three suspects were arrested, with one killed in a streak of clearance operations between 8 and 13 June.

"The sudden appearance of the police operatives in the kidnapper's camp resulted in a gun duel.

"However, the bandits were overwhelmed by the firepower of the police operative, as one of the gang members got hit during cross-fire and the three suspects (were) arrested.

"The suspects have confessed to being involved in a series of kidnapping incidents and other heinous crimes in FCT and its environs," she said.

Ms Adeh said an English pump-action gun, a locally fabricated pistol, two live cartridges, cutlasses, knives and items believed to be charms were recovered from the suspects.

(NAN)

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.