Police recover N8.25m ransom, dismantle Abuja ‘one chance’ kidnapping syndicate

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has recovered the N8.25 million ransom paid for the release of a kidnap victim after dismantling a six-member “one chance” kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate allegedly responsible for a string of attacks in Abuja and neighbouring Niger State.

Ahmed Sanusi, Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the command headquarters in Abuja, saying the victim was rescued through an intelligence-led operation that culminated in the arrest of all six suspects and the recovery of two vehicles and other exhibits allegedly used in their operations.

Sanusi said the operation began after the command received a distress call on June 29 regarding the suspected abduction of a young woman in the Maitama area of Abuja.

According to him, police operatives immediately launched a coordinated intelligence and digital tracking operation, which revealed that the victim had been moved out of the Federal Capital Territory to Kwan-kwashe Village in neighbouring Niger State.

“Unknown to the suspects, we were already hot on their trail,” the commissioner said.

He explained that the kidnappers initially demanded N20 million from the victim’s family but eventually accepted N8.25 million before releasing her on July 3.

Despite the victim’s release, Sanusi said investigators continued tracking the syndicate and arrested all six members in Suleja, Niger State, on July 5.

He disclosed that police recovered the entire N8.25 million ransom alongside two operational vehicles, a cutlass, mobile phones, jewellery suspected to belong to previous victims, EarPods, and a laptop.

The police commissioner further revealed that investigations identified the alleged gang leader, 35-year-old Ifeoma Nnamchi, and another suspect, Olanipekun Anuoluwa, as repeat offenders who had previously been arrested by the FCT Police Command in 2022 and 2019, respectively, for similar offences.

According to him, despite their previous arrests, the suspects regrouped and allegedly established a criminal syndicate that had been operating along the Kubwa Motorway, Maitama Federal Housing Road and other parts of the FCT since 2024.

Sanusi said members of the gang confessed to carrying out several “one chance” operations and admitted that in their latest attacks they kidnapped and robbed five female victims, collecting a combined N12.8 million in ransom.

The suspects were identified as Ifeoma Nnamchi, 35, alleged gang leader; Peter Rasheed Onwunumah, 40; Olanipekun Anuoluwa, 46; Jemimah Monday, 25; Gabriel Nnamchi, 14; and Stanley Nnamchi, 17, all said to be residents of Niger State.

In a separate operation, the FCT Police Command said it arrested four suspected kidnappers and alleged suppliers of ammunition and illicit drugs to bandits during clearance operations conducted in border communities around Kwali, Abaji and Kuje Area Councils.

Sanusi alleged that one of the suspects, Misbahu Isa, is a major arms dealer who supplied ammunition to kidnappers and bandits operating across Niger, Kaduna and Kogi states.

According to the police commissioner, investigations indicated that Isa recently supplied more than 20,000 rounds of live ammunition to wanted bandits and kidnappers in exchange for N3 million.

Police operatives also recovered 42 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition concealed inside a vehicle allegedly being used as a commercial car.

Other items recovered include codeine syrup, suspected cannabis, tramadol, a loaded magazine, cash and other exhibits.

The other suspects were identified as Bello Abdullahi, Shuaibu Iliya and Idris Abubakar, whom police alleged were linked to kidnapping activities and the supply of ammunition and illicit substances to criminal groups operating around the FCT and neighbouring states.

Sanusi also disclosed that the command recently carried out raids on identified criminal hideouts across the Federal Capital Territory, leading to the arrest of 560 suspects.

He said the operations also resulted in the recovery of illicit drugs, arms and ammunition.

The commissioner noted that all suspects arrested in the various operations would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

“The FCT Police Command will not rest on its oars until these criminal elements are flushed out of the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.

He appealed to residents to continue providing credible and timely information to security agencies to support ongoing efforts to combat crime and safeguard lives and property across the FCT.