THE Nigeria Police Force says it has killed seven suspected kidnappers and arrested five alleged armed robbers in separate raids across Delta and Kaduna states.
Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed this in a statement on Monday, referencing the force’s intensified intelligence-led strategies and collaboration with local security outfits.
According to the statement, on June 4, 2025, operatives of the Delta State Police Command, acting on intelligence and supported by local vigilantes and anti-cult volunteers, engaged suspected kidnappers along the Abraka Railway axis.
It said the encounter resulted in a fierce gun duel, during which four suspects were neutralised. One AK-47 rifle and thirteen rounds of live ammunition were recovered at the scene.
In a separate operation along the Ughelli–Patani Road, the Command’s CP-Special Assignment Team intercepted a shuttle bus near Ewhereni Junction.
The occupants reportedly opened fire on the police in an attempt to flee, prompting a gun battle that led to the neutralisation of three more suspects.
Officers recovered another AK-47 rifle loaded with eighteen rounds of live ammunition. Preliminary investigations revealed that the group was part of a notorious kidnapping syndicate operating in the state.
The statement added that, in Kaduna State, police operatives apprehended five suspected armed robbers linked to a criminal syndicate believed to have been terrorising residents for some time.
The arrests followed the recovery of a Toyota Hilux vehicle stolen on 28th May 2025 from the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja.
One of the suspects, Mohammed Kabir from Samaru Gusau in Zamfara State, was captured after a high-speed chase near Zaria town. Further investigations led to the recovery of a Toyota Camry abandoned near the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway.
Additionally, a Honda CR-V was recovered following the arrest of one Emmanuel Oliseh, who reportedly stole the vehicle in Abuja.
The statement noted that a separate stop-and-search operation led to the interception of a 1998 model Toyota Camry, with three occupants — Ibrahim Bala, Abdulsalam Abdullahi, and Abdulraman Muktar — confessing that the vehicle was stolen from Nasarawa State.
Commending the officers involved, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun lauded their response to intelligence. The statement added that he emphasised the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies and the public, urging citizens to continue providing timely information to support efforts at safeguarding communities.