The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has successfully foiled a planned kidnapping and armed attack by suspected bandits in the Byazhin Forest area of Abuja. During the operation, police operatives recovered an AK-47 rifle, a magazine, and 30 rounds of live ammunition. The operation is part of intensified efforts by security agencies to curb banditry and kidnapping across the FCT’s border communities, including Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada.

According to a statement issued by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, credible intelligence from the Force Headquarters’ Technical Intelligence Unit revealed that a notorious bandit leader identified as Idrisa, also known as “Mai Duna,” had finalized plans to launch simultaneous attacks on villages around the Byazhin forest. Acting swiftly on the intelligence, the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit deployed tactical teams to intercept the suspects. At about 1:00 a.m. on October 11, 2025, the operatives engaged two groups of armed bandits in a fierce gun battle that lasted nearly twenty minutes, forcing the criminals to retreat into the forest with gunshot wounds.

Following the encounter, reinforcement was immediately deployed from nearby police and military formations to secure the area and block possible escape routes. A search of the scene led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle with a defaced serial number, a magazine, and thirty rounds of live ammunition. Commending the operatives for their bravery, the FCT Commissioner of Police urged all medical facilities within and around Abuja to report any person presenting with gunshot wounds to the nearest police station. He reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining joint security operations with the military and vigilante groups to rid the FCT of criminal elements, reassuring residents of continued safety and vigilance.