In a major crackdown on a kidnapping syndicate, operatives from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command (FCT‑Police) have successfully rescued seven residents who had been abducted from a community in the Ushafa area of Abuja’s Bwari Area Council. The dramatic rescue followed a prolonged gun battle and a cross‑state manhunt that ended with the dismantling of a criminal hideout.
According to the FCT Police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, the mission was triggered by a distress call received on December 5, 2025, reporting that armed men had stormed Ushafa and abducted several residents. By the next day, December 6, a joint force — comprising members of the FCT Anti‑Kidnapping Unit, the Nigerian Army, and the Department of State Services (DSS) — was mobilised and deployed to the area.
Leveraging actionable intelligence, the team traced the kidnappers from the outskirts of the neighbouring Mpape community toward the boundary with Kaduna State, around the Kagarko Local Government Area. On sighting the security personnel, the kidnappers opened fire, precipitating a fierce gun duel. In that initial confrontation, one victim was recovered.
Undeterred, security operatives pursued the suspects for over seven hours across rugged terrain — mountains and dense forest paths — until they located the kidnappers’ main hideout deep inside the Kweri Forest in Kaduna State. A second exchange of gunfire forced the criminals to abandon their den and flee, allowing the team to rescue six additional captives.
All seven rescued victims were immediately taken to a hospital, where sources say they are receiving medical care and are reportedly in stable condition. In response to the success of the operation, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, commended the bravery, professionalism and endurance of the operatives involved. He also ordered the reinforcement of security deployments along identified “flashpoints” to deter further kidnappings in the capital and its environs.
This dramatic rescue comes just days after the police neutralised three suspected kidnappers believed to have been terrorising other parts of Abuja including ACO, Dupa, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali. Intelligence had suggested that the syndicate behind the latest abductions was preparing a larger-scale kidnapping operation targeting another community in the FCT on December 1.
The swift action by the FCT Police underscores a renewed commitment to security, especially in fringe communities vulnerable to cross‑border criminal activities. It also highlights the importance of intelligence‑led operations coupled with coordinated responses among security agencies in combating organised kidnapping.
Nevertheless, the recurring kidnappings — from border communities to estates — continue to sow fear among residents, prompting calls for increased vigilance and better community policing mechanisms. For many Abuja residents, the success of this operation offers a glimmer of hope that kidnapping syndicates may be on the run — but the mission to restore lasting security is still ongoing.
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