By Kingsley Omonobi

FCT Police operatives in a coordinated joint tactical operation led by the Scorpion Squad have neutralised a notorious and wanted armed robbery and successfully dismantled a 7-man gang which specialises in armed robbery and carjacking.

The police said, “The gang had been on the command’s watchlist following multiple armed robbery and vehicle theft incidents traced to their network.

“Upon receiving credible intelligence that the syndicate were planning to rob an unsuspecting victim around the Maitama area on 19th May 2025, police operatives swiftly mobilised and intercepted them on the 15th of May 2025.

“On sighting the officers, the gang members opened fire.

“In the ensuing gun duel, one of the suspects, Abdulmininu Bello, aka Babanle, was neutralised.

Eight others, namely, were arrested. They are Ibrahim Muhammad, 22 years old, an ex-convict from Kebbi State; Abubakar Abdullahi, 22 years old, from Plateau State; Sarajo Yusuf, 20 years old, from Plateau State; and Isiaka Adamu, an ex-convict from Bauchi State.

Others are Abdullahi Isah, 18 years old, escaped detainee from Bauchi State; Sanusi Ali, 51 years old, resident of Kano State; and Abubakar Sani, from Plateau State, and they were arrested at the scene.

“Their gang leader, Solomon Bawa, aka Pastor Mogu, and one other suspect fled with gunshot wounds.

“The FCT Command calls on members of the public who may have come across anyone with suspicious injuries to report the same to the police for prompt investigations.

“All suspects are currently in police custody and will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

“Exhibits recovered from the scene include a 2004 Toyota Camry LE, one red Boxer motorcycle, two locally made pistols with ten rounds of live 9 mm ammunition, four AK-47 rifles and magazines, eleven (11) rounds of live 7.62 ammunition and one locally made shotgun.

“Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to belonging to a deadly armed network that specialises in snatching SUVs and luxury vehicles from unsuspecting victims, mostly at gunpoint during late-night roadside ambushes or through deception.

“Investigations revealed that they operated a WhatsApp group through which they planned and coordinated their attacks, often relying on insider information from domestic staff of targeted victims.

“The suspects also admitted to the sale of a custom-coloured Toyota Camry, popularly known as “Big-for-Nothing,” for N700,000, and a Lexus SUV for N1 million.

“They further confessed to the 2015 murder of an MTN staff member in Kaduna State.

“The Commissioner of Police, FCT, commends the bravery and professionalism of the operatives involved in the operation and reaffirms the Command’s commitment to ridding the FCT of all forms of violent crime.