Police arrest 262 suspects, rescue 27 kidnapped victims

The Nigeria Police Force arrested 262 suspects and rescued 27 kidnapped victims during various operations across the country between September 5 and 11, 2026.

The suspects were arrested for offences including kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, banditry, cultism, human trafficking, drug peddling, vandalism and other criminal activities.

The Force also recovered 34 firearms, 375 rounds of live ammunition and 11 vehicles, while 11 armed suspects were neutralised during the operations.

The figures were contained in the weekly operational briefing of the Nigeria Police Force on Sunday by the force spokesman, Ani Iniedu.

According to him, the operations were conducted through intelligence-led tactical operations and in collaboration with local communities and other security agencies.

He said the country recorded 50 homicide incidents, 28 armed robbery incidents, 10 cultism incidents, eight gender-based violence incidents, 27 kidnapping incidents, 22 banditry incidents and five terrorism incidents during the period under review.

Iniedu said, “Through intelligence-led tactical operations, the Force made a total of 262 high-profile arrests of criminal suspects involved in offences including kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, banditry, cult-related activities, human trafficking, drug peddling, vandalism, and other criminal activities.

“The Force also successfully rescued 27 kidnapped victims, recovered 34 firearms, 375 rounds of live ammunition, 11 vehicles, and neutralised 11 armed suspects in various operations across the country.

“In addition, the country recorded 50 incidents of homicide, 28 incidents of armed robbery, 10 incidents of cultism, eight incidents of gender-based violence, 27 incidents of kidnapping, 22 incidents of banditry, and five incidents of terrorism during the week under review.”

Giving details of some of the operations, the spokesman said operatives in Delta State rescued a 60-year-old kidnapped victim, Nduka Omoyi, unharmed following a gun duel with his abductors in Alisime Village, Agbor.

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He said the operation was conducted by a joint team comprising locals, forest guards and divisional crack operatives, following geo-spatial intelligence.

In the Federal Capital Territory, Iniedu said detectives arrested a suspect following an armed invasion of a residence in Pegi, during which the victim’s wife was allegedly raped and valuables, including a gold necklace, ring and electric generator, were stolen.

He said the suspect was assisting investigators in identifying and arresting his fleeing accomplices.

In Kwara State, he said two men wanted for alleged kidnapping and banditry were arrested in Baruten Local Government Area.

He said N770,000 cash, two smartphones, a local charm, a bulletproof vest and a power bank were recovered from the suspects, who were temporarily handed over to military authorities over their alleged involvement in a recent attack in Niger State.

Similarly, he said operatives in Nasarawa State engaged suspected armed robbers who allegedly opened fire on them after abandoning a stolen motorcycle at a checkpoint in Uluji Village, Keana Local Government Area.

Two of the suspects were injured, and a pump-action rifle was recovered, while another suspect was arrested separately for allegedly participating in the robbery.

In Kaduna State, he said operatives, working with vigilantes and local hunters, raided suspected bandit camps in Auchanawa and Wambai, Ikara Local Government Area.

The operation led to the neutralisation of two suspects and the rescue of two kidnapped victims.

“However, three local hunters supporting the operation were fatally shot, while another sustained a gunshot injury,” he added.