By Pius Awunah
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has disclosed that the territory recorded 300 kidnapping and armed robbery cases with other crimes between October and December 2025.
It added that during the period,160 suspects were arrested,32 victims rescued while nine armed suspects were killed, and six police officers died in gun battles.
The Command’s Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye revealed the figures during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, December 19,2025,and attributed the crime surge to the city’s status as Nigeria’s political hub, which attracts law-abiding citizens and criminals from neighboring states.
Breaking down the incidents, Dantawaye said kidnapping cases stood at seven, with 41 suspects arrested through intelligence-led operations, forest combing, and joint efforts with other security agencies.
Armed robbery recorded 62 cases and 38 arrests, dismantling several syndicates and recovering firearms.
“One-chance” robberies numbered, 26 with 12 arrests, while car theft and vehicle snatching hit 35 cases, yielding 11 arrests and recovery of 20 vehicles from various crimes.
He said that additional arrests totalling 120 suspects, covered homicide, cultism, drug offences, illegal firearms possession, cyber fraud, and other violent crimes were made.
Recoveries included: N15.45 million in cash, 21 AK-47 rifles, ten shotguns, one K2 rifle, 37 locally-made pistols, 31 fabricated firearms, 1,700 rounds of ammunition, 86 bags of suspected cannabis, 14 vehicles, and other exhibits like counterfeit stamps and ATM cards.
He credited the successes to the directives from Inspector-General of Police Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, emphasising intelligence-driven strategies, hotspot mapping, community policing, and inter-agency collaboration as part of the reason for the success.
