In a major breakthrough against arms trafficking, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a dismissed immigration officer attempting to supply high-powered firearms to terrorists operating in the notorious Abuja-Kaduna forests.
The suspect, whose identity remains undisclosed, was intercepted in a covert intelligence-led operation, preventing the weapons from falling into the hands of criminal elements responsible for kidnappings, killings, and other violent crimes along the Abuja-Kaduna axis.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the Officer in Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Mustafa Mohammed, described the arrest as a critical blow to the arms supply network fueling insecurity in the region.
“Acting on credible intelligence, the command intercepted these weapons from a dismissed immigration officer attempting to sell them to bandits terrorizing the Abuja-Kaduna corridor. Our operatives moved swiftly to prevent the illegal transaction, ensuring that these sophisticated firearms did not end up in the wrong hands,” Mohammed stated.
Among the confiscated weapons was a Scorpion CZ EVO3, an advanced, fully automatic firearm featuring an inbuilt silencer—one of the latest in the Scorpion series.
“This is the 2022 model, equipped with multiple firing modes, including single-shot, burst, and full-auto. Its magazine can hold up to 30 rounds, making it a highly dangerous weapon in the hands of criminals. Along with the firearm, we recovered 52 rounds of ammunition, which could have posed a severe threat to security,” he added.
Meanwhile, FCT Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, revealed that as part of intensified security operations, over 300 criminal suspects were apprehended between January and February 28, 2025.
“In our sustained efforts to rid the FCT of crime, the police command has launched high-impact raids, targeting criminal hideouts and arresting perpetrators. These operations have significantly curtailed the activities of armed gangs within the capital,” Disu stated.
The breakdown of the arrests includes:
59 armed robbers
10 kidnappers and their informants
16 cultists
9 armed robbers neutralized
7 kidnappers neutralized
Disu further disclosed that security forces had conducted covert and overt raids in crime-prone areas, including Dei-Dei, Karu, Gwarinpa, Jikwoyi, Karimo, and Maitama, while abandoned buildings used as criminal hideouts were under continuous surveillance.
The FCT Police Command has vowed to sustain its aggressive operations against arms traffickers, bandits, and other criminal elements threatening the safety of residents.
“This operation sends a strong message to all criminal elements: the FCT is no safe haven for crime. We will continue to dismantle these syndicates and ensure that the full weight of the law is brought upon those aiding insecurity,” the police stated.
With the arrest of the ex-immigration officer and the interception of deadly firearms, security forces have once again demonstrated their resolve to dismantle the criminal networks fueling terrorism and violent crimes in the country.
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