Police nab 262, rescue 27 kidnap victims, recover 34 arms in 1 week

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested 262 suspected criminals, rescued 27 kidnapped victims and recovered 34 firearms and 375 rounds of live ammunition in nationwide operations conducted between September 5 and 11, 2026.

Force’s weekly operational briefing by tje Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Anietie Iniedu, Sunday in Abuja, indicated that the operational gains include 11 vehicles recovered and 11 armed suspects reported neutralised during intelligence-led operations across commands and tactical formations.

CSP Anietie noted that the arrests involved suspects linked to kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, banditry, cultism, human trafficking, drug peddling, vandalism and other criminal activities.

The Force also recorded 50 homicide incidents, 28 armed robbery cases, 10 cultism-related incidents, eight gender-based violence cases, 27 kidnapping incidents, 22 banditry incidents and five terrorism-related incidents during the period under review.

He said among the major operational successes was the rescue of a 60-year-old kidnap victim, Nduka Omoyi, in Delta state, following a gun duel between police operatives and the kidnappers.

In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), police operatives arrested a suspected armed robber allegedly involved in a home invasion during which the victim’s wife was reportedly raped and valuables, including jewellery and a generator, were stolen.

The Spokesperson said efforts was ongoing to apprehend other fleeing suspects.

In Kwara state, two men wanted over alleged kidnapping and banditry were arrested in Baruten Local Government Area (LGA) following intelligence-led operations.

Hw said police operatives in the Command recovered ₦770,000 cash, two smartphones, a locally made bulletproof vest and a power bank.

The suspects were subsequently handed over to military authorities over their alleged connection with a recent attack in Niger state.

In the same vein, Police operatives in Nasarawa state engaged suspected armed robbers who allegedly attacked a motorcyclist in LGA.

Two suspects were reportedly injured, while a pump-action rifle was recovered. Another suspect was arrested, in a separate operation, over alleged involvement in the robbery.

In Sokoto state, tactical teams acting on intelligence about a planned bandit attack mobilised to Yadiya Village, Sokoto North LGA, where they engaged suspected bandits.

Four suspects were reportedly neutralised during the operation, while an AK-47 rifle and 28 rounds of ammunition were recovered; even as  no casualties were recorded among security personnel or villagers, according to the police.

A planned kidnapping operation was foiled in Akwa Ibom state when marine operatives raided a suspected kidnappers’ camp along the Calabar-Oron channel.

The suspects were said to have  fled, however, the police recovered a pump-action gun and ammunition, two speedboats and four outboard engines.

In Kaduna state, the police in collaboration with vigilantes and local hunters, raided suspected bandit camps in Auchanawa and Wambai Ikara Local Government Area during which two suspects were neutralised and two kidnap victims rescued.

However, three local hunters supporting the operation were fatally shot, while another sustained a gunshot injury and was receiving treatement.

Police operatives in Katsina state intercepted suspected bandits at Mararabar Dayawa Forest in Kafur LGA.

One armed suspect was reportedly neutralised during a gun duel, while a kidnap victim from Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano state was rescued.

Two motorcycles suapected to have been used by the bandits were recovered.

In Gombe state, a joint clearance operation in Kowagel and Bojude in Dukku and Kwami Local Government Areas led to the arrest of a suspected kidnapper.

Police said sustained pressure on the suspected syndicate resulted in the abandonment and rescue of three kidnap victims, including a two-year-old child, even as a motorcycle and three mobile phones were recovered.

Police operatives of the Ebonyi state rescued a Methodist cleric,  Ndulo Amofia, after he was abducted by two armed men in front of his church.

The Police tracked the abductors, forcing them to abandon the clergyman and his vehicle near Amofia. The victim was rescued unhurt, while efforts continue to apprehend the fleeing suspects, the FPRO said.

According to CSP Anietie, the said week’s operational results demonstrated the NPF effectiveness of its intelligence-led, proactive and community-collaborative policing strategy.

The Force said it would sustain operations nationwide while strengthening collaboration with communities and other security agencies to tackle kidnapping, banditry, violent crime, terrorism and other threats to public safety.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting citizens and maintaining law and order under the strategic leadership of IGP Disu.