Nigerian police rescue five residents, kill two kidnappers in Abuja raid

Federal Capital Territory police have rescued five kidnapped residents in the Paze community of Abuja's Bwari area. The successful operation, conducted Tuesday in collaboration with vigilantes and hunters, targeted recent kidnapping incidents.

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The FCT Police Command has successfully rescued five kidnapped victims following an intensive joint rescue operation conducted in the Byazhin area of the Federal Capital Territory.

During the raid, police engaged suspected kidnappers in a gun battle, resulting in the deaths of two assailants and the arrest of two others, identified as Icheh Mohammadu and Abubakar Usman. Other gang members reportedly fled into nearby hills with gunshot wounds.

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Acting on recent kidnapping incidents within the Paze community in the Byazhin area, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Ahmed Sanusi, personally led a clearance operation with a team comprising operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, the NPF Intelligence Response Team, and Kubwa Area Command, in collaboration with local hunters and vigilante groups.

The police recovered two AK-47 rifles from the suspects. The FCT Police Command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, urged healthcare providers to report anyone seeking treatment for gunshot injuries, as authorities continue their search for the fleeing suspects.

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On June 9, 2026, at approximately 9:00 p.m., the joint security team launched an intensive search, clearance, and rescue operation across the Paze and Byazhin communities.

The rescued victims, found unharmed, are receiving medical attention and efforts are underway to reunite them with their families. The command assured the public that search operations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining criminals and dismantle their network.

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During the operation, the team engaged suspected kidnappers in a gun duel, resulting in the neutralisation of two suspects and the arrest of two others, identified as Icheh Mohammadu and Abubakar Usman, while other gang members fled into nearby hills with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.