The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has paraded 23 suspects, including car thieves and members of a “one-chance” armed robbery syndicate, as part of its ongoing efforts to rid the city of crime.
The suspects were paraded by FCT Police Commissioner, Olatunji Disu, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Among the first group of suspects are Aji Thomas (32), Amobi Ndukwe (40), and Amaechi Sampson (26), who are members of a notorious four-man gang specializing in armed robbery and car theft.
The gang, led by an individual known only as Chidebere, operates within the FCT, Nassarawa, Kaduna, and Kano states. The trio were arrested while attempting to sell a stolen blue Toyota Corolla to an undercover officer.
During interrogation, they admitted to multiple car thefts in the Garki area over the past year and a half.
In another case, a mechanic who had been contracted to repair a Honda Accord absconded with the vehicle and its documents.
The vehicle was later tracked to Rayfield, Jos, Plateau State, where it was found in possession of Joseph Abang, a notorious car theft suspect.
Abang confessed to receiving stolen vehicles and rebranding them for sale, with two additional stolen cars recovered from his workshop.
He claimed to have sold over 16 rebranded vehicles in the past four years.
Additionally, a 12-man “one-chance” syndicate was arrested on October 12. The gang posed as police and DSS officers, kidnapping unsuspecting victims for ransom.
The suspects were caught after two victims, Jeremiah David and Amaka Humina, reported being forced from their vehicle by the gang, who demanded money for their release.
They transferred N400,000 from the victims’ accounts and stole several phones. Police operatives tracked down and arrested the suspects, recovering six vehicles and a locally made Beretta pistol.
The suspects are currently in custody, and further investigations are ongoing.
