The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command in Abuja has apprehended 311 suspects, comprising 297 males and 14 females, at a bandits’ relaxation camp called “Game House” in Gidan Dambe, Dei Dei. The raid, carried out by police operatives as part of the newly launched Operation Velvet, also led to the recovery of various weapons, including guns, ammunition, swords, knives, axes, daggers, motorcycles, and numerous mobile phones.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, disclosed the operation on Monday during a parade of the suspects at the Intelligence Response Team unit in Guzape, Abuja. The police received credible intelligence that bandits, kidnappers, and armed robbers frequented the “Game House” to relax and entertain themselves after criminal activities.
Igweh emphasized the importance of community cooperation, stating, “When you hear something, say something.” The police received information that the suspects often returned to the identified location, leading to the swift operation.
The raid resulted in the arrest of 297 males and 14 females within 20 minutes of storming the area. Among the recovered items was an English pistol with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition found in the possession of a person claiming to be a DSS personnel named Ibrahim Tukur. Additionally, motorcycles, wraps of marijuana, illicit substances, and valuables suspected to have been stolen from innocent residents were confiscated.
Igweh underscored the ongoing screening of all the suspects, emphasizing the commitment to addressing the surge in kidnapping and bandit attacks in the FCT. The police have been actively conducting operations to counter criminal activities, as evidenced by previous encounters with notorious bandits and kidnap kingpins in the region.
