The Federal Capital Territory Administration Minister, Nyesom Wike, has placed a N20 million bounty on two wanted kidnappers, Dahiru Adamu and Abu Ibrahim, who have allegedly been causing havoc in the nation’s capital. Wike issued the directive during a meeting with FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, where 23 criminal suspects were paraded at the FCT Police Command Headquarters in Abuja.
Expressing his commitment to eliminating criminal activities, Wike instructed the police to apprehend the kidnappers, whether dead or alive. The directive followed the arrest of seven members of the kidnapping gang – Usman Muhazu, Aliyu Muhammed, Auwal Lahiru, Rabiu Sani, Madina Abubakar, Jonah Elimelechi, and Saminu Idris – by a joint team of operatives from Utako Divisional Headquarters and the Anti-Kidnapping team.
While addressing CP Igweh, Wike stated, “You’re still looking for two amongst them, right? Okay, I will put money on them. I have placed a N20 million bounty on the two of them. Anyone who finds them would get the N20 million. Fish them out, dead or alive. We will not give them breathing space just as they’ve not been giving us breathing space.”
CP Igweh provided details on the arrests, indicating the apprehension of the suspects in Pyankasa, Tudun Wada, and Ketti village, FCT, in connection with the kidnapping of 14 notable persons in the Federal Capital Territory. Two remaining members of the gang, Dahiru Adamu and Abu Ibrahim, are still at large.
During the parade, a total of 23 suspects were presented, and items such as ₦9 million, six AK-47 rifles, bulletproof vests, and a locally-fabricated walkie-talkie were recovered. Among the arrested suspects were individuals involved in one-chance activities and armed robbery.
Kidnapping and banditry have become significant challenges in Nigeria, with security forces intensifying efforts to combat criminal activities. In recent operations, security personnel neutralized notorious bandits in the Bwari area of Abuja and targeted a kidnap kingpin named Janari, along with his accomplices, in Kaduna State.
