The operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, FCT Command have, in a sting operation, arrested suspected car thieves, armed robbers and ‘One-chance’ operators while three stolen vehicles were recovered from the suspects.

Parading the suspects in Abuja, the FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Benneth Igweh said on May 1, 2024, at about 3:00pm, acting on credible intelligence, police operatives of Apo Legislative Quarters trailed and arrested two notorious car theft suspects.

CP Igweh named the suspects as Anthony Chibuzor and his friend, Jonas Chikwe both males of Lagos State who have been on the wanted list of the Command and part of a notorious car theft syndicate terrorising FCT and its environs.

He also said three vehicles which the suspects failed to give satisfactory account were recovered in the operations.

The cars include a Toyota Camry with Reg No. Lagos 23; an Audi A4 with Reg No. KRD 349 JD and a Honda Accord Sports with Reg No. BDG 42 JC, some of which the Chassis No. had been altered by the suspects.

He added that on April 15, 2024 at about 9:45am, operatives also swung into action following a report by Magaji Umar at Lugbe Division that on April 14, 2024, he boarded a vehicle from Lugbe going to Area 1 when he was suddenly attacked by the two occupants in the moving vehicle and was forcefully made to part with the sum of N2, 230,000.00, which was removed from his account.

CP Igweh said subsequent investigation led police operatives to the arrest of six suspects including Peter Fateh, Esther Peter, James Ogbuh, Kabiru Buba and Kabir Abubakar.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects include the sum of N2, 230,000.00; a black colour Toyota Corolla with Reg No. GWA 227 BG, a Golf 3 Salon car with Reg No. KWL 200 CF; a silver colour Toyota Camry without Reg No; two locally made cartridge rifles, one locally made pistol; one locally made rifle; ten live cartridges and six live ammunition.

Also, on April 7, 2024, at about 10:30pm, police operatives from Maitama Division, while on routine patrol along Nicon Junction, heard a loud cry and swiftly mobilised to the location, where a victim of an armed robbery (one-chance) incident, pushed out of a vehicle was found and dispossessed of all her belongings.

“In response to this, the police operative gave the hoodlums a hot chase forcing them to abandon their vehicle and took to their heels. Information recovered from the vehicle led police operatives to the arrest of four suspects, namely;

Hamza Ibrahim,

Mubarak Abubakar,

Abubakar Suleiman and

Mohammed Lawal.

“The suspects who freely confessed to the commission of the crime will be charged to court soon,” CP Igweh stated.

CP Igweh further narrated that on May 12, 2024, at about 11:26 pm, following the report of one Mohammed Musa of Durumi that on the same date, one Kabiru Umar of the same address, broke into his Point of Sale (POS) shop and stole the sum of N300, 000.00.

He said police operatives of Durumi Division swiftly mobilised to the scene and arrested the suspect.

“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and the sum of N170, 000 was recovered from him. Suspect will be arraigned in court soon,” he stated