Dismissed Immigration Officer arrested; police kill 9 robbers, 7 kidnappers, arrest 16 cultists
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A dismissed Immigration Officer caught allegedly attempting to sell sophisticated firearms to terrorists operating in the Abuja-Kaduna axis has been arrested by police.
The suspect, whose name was not disclosed, was intercepted and arrested following an intelligence-led operation, according to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
FCT Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit Head, Mustafa Mohammed, disclosed that the operation prevented the arms from reaching criminal elements who could have made them deadly.
“Acting on intelligence, the command intercepted these guns from a dismissed immigration officer attempting to sell them to bandits terrorising the Abuja-Kaduna forest.
“The intelligence was received in time, and the arms were intercepted while he was trying to make the delivery,” Mohammed said.
The recovered weapons comprised caches of Scorpion CZ EVO3, an advanced, fully automatic firearm with an inbuilt silencer, which he described as “the latest model, the 2022 version of the Scorpion series. It can be used in single, automatic, or burst mode.
“It is a highly sophisticated weapon, and its magazine can hold between 20 and 30 rounds, depending on the configuration. We also recovered 52 rounds of ammunition which could have posed a severe threat had they fallen into the hands of criminals.”
FCT Commissioner of Police Tunji Disu separately disclosed that 300 suspects were arrested between January and February.
Said he: “In its sustained effort to rid the Federal Capital Territory of crime and criminal elements, the FCT Police Command has intensified its operations, carrying out a series of high-impact raids from January 1 to February 28, 2025.
“These decisive actions, driven by intelligence and executed with tactical precision, have led to the arrest of 300 suspects and the recovery of a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and illicit substances.
“The total number of armed robbers arrested: 59. The total number of kidnappers and informants arrested: 10. The total number of armed robbers neutralised: nine.
“The total number of kidnappers neutralised: seven. The total number of cultists arrested: 16.
“Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the safety of residents, the command deployed specialised tactical teams to raid identified criminal hideouts and black spots across the FCT.
“These operations covered high-risk areas, including Dei-Dei, Karu, Gwarinpa, Jikwoyi, Karimo, and Maitama.
“Additionally, abandoned buildings across the city, frequently used as hideouts and bases for planning illicit activities, have been identified and will be subject to continuous monitoring and raids.”
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