The Nigeria Police Force says it has arrested 50 suspects and recovered firearms, ammunition, and other exhibits in a series of coordinated operations across several states.
Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Okon Placid, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja, saying the operations were carried out by the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) between January and April 2026.
According to him, the operations targeted gunrunning networks, kidnapping syndicates, armed robbery gangs, and other violent criminal groups.
Items recovered include 17 rifles, over 100 rounds of live ammunition, magazines, walkie-talkies, vehicles, and other exhibits linked to various criminal cases.
In one case, Musa Jibrin was arrested for unlawful possession of firearms after an FNC rifle was recovered. A suspected accomplice remains at large.
Four suspects were also arrested in Benue State for allegedly operating fake police checkpoints to rob motorists. Police recovered locally made firearms, cartridges, and a Police Mobile Force uniform allegedly used in the operations.
In the FCT, four suspects were arrested along the Deidei–Kubwa axis for alleged involvement in abduction, robbery, and “one chance” operations. Items recovered were reportedly linked to victims.
In Taraba State, three suspects were arrested in connection with the killing of three police officers in Donga Local Government Area. An AK-47 rifle was recovered during the operation.
In another operation spanning Kwara and Kogi states, 33 suspects were arrested over alleged involvement in armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and terrorism-related offences. Police said the group was also linked to an attack on a church in Eruku community in 2025.
Separately, a suspect was arrested in Benue State for illegal possession of an AK-47 rifle allegedly bought from a suspected arms dealer who is now at large.
In Abuja, another suspect was arrested for alleged car burglary, with police saying he used a fabricated master key to break into parked vehicles.
The police said investigations are ongoing across all cases.
