The Federal Capital Territory, Police Command has arrested a dismissed immigration officer for allegedly attempting to supply sophisticated firearms to bandits operating in the Abuja-Kaduna forest.
The suspect, whose name was not disclosed, was intercepted in an intelligence-led operation while trying to deliver the arms.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, the Officer in Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Mustafa Mohammed, said the timely operation prevented the weapons from reaching criminal elements.
“Acting on intelligence, the command intercepted these guns from a dismissed immigration officer attempting to sell them to bandits terrorising the Abuja-Kaduna forest,” he said.
Among the recovered firearms was a Scorpion CZ EVO3, a high-powered automatic weapon equipped with an inbuilt silencer.
“This is the latest model, the 2022 version of the Scorpion series. It can be used in single, automatic, or burst mode. Its magazine holds between 20 and 30 rounds, depending on configuration. We also recovered 52 rounds of ammunition,” Mohammed added.
Speaking on the broader security efforts in the FCT, Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, revealed that between January 1 and February 28, 2025, the command arrested 300 suspects and recovered a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and illicit substances.
Breakdown of the arrests, 59 armed robbers arrested, 10 kidnappers and their informants, 9 armed robbers were neutralized, 7 kidnappers were neutralised, 16 cultist were arrested
The commissioner stated that the police have intensified raids on criminal hideouts in high-risk areas, including Dei-Dei, Karu, Gwarinpa, Jikwoyi, Karimo, and Maitama.
“Abandoned buildings frequently used as criminal hideouts have also been identified and will be subject to continuous monitoring and raids,” Disu added.
The FCT police reiterated their commitment to ensuring the safety of residents and maintaining security across the capital.
