Just in: FCT Police, military rescue kidnapped naval officer, two others, arrest four suspects

In a daring joint operation, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command and the military successfully rescued a kidnapped naval officer and two civilians from the clutches of armed criminals in Mpape, Abuja, on March 21, 2025.

Persecondnews had reported that at about 7:35pm on the said date, heavily armed assailants attacked the Maman Vatsa Estate gate, blocked Mpape Road, and opened fire on moving vehicles before abducting the three victims.

Shortly after the attack, the kidnappers contacted the victims’ families and demanded a ransom of N500 million for the naval officer and N200 million for each of the two civilians.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said in a statement sent to Persecondnews on Sunday that upon receiving the distress report, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), FCT Police Command, Isyaku Sharu, in collaboration with military authorities, mobilized a joint operation to rescue the kidnapped victims.

According to Adeh, the joint operation was led by the Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit, comprising personnel from the Nigerian military, DSS, hunters, and members of the local Hunters’ Group.

The statement reads: “An intense search-and-rescue operation was conducted across Mpape, Gidan Bawa, Anguwan Mu’azu, and Yelwa Hills, covering areas in the FCT and Nasarawa State.

“Acting on credible intelligence, between 2:00 am and 5:30am on March 23, 2025, operatives traced the suspects to a Fulani resettlement in Anguwan Mu’azu and Yelwa Hills, Nasarawa State, where four suspects were arrested, and the victims were rescued unharmed.

“Additionally, the sum of N3.2 million, suspected to be ransom money from previous kidnapping operations, was recovered from the suspects.

“The victims are currently in stable condition and are receiving medical attention at the Nigerian Army Clinic.

“Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend the remaining suspects currently at large. Security deployments has also been reinforced in Mpape and surrounding areas to prevent future occurrences. As members of the public are advised to go about their daily activities without any apprehension.

“The FCT Police Command urges residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the Police via the following emergency numbers: 08032003913, 08028940883, 07057337653
Complaint Response Unit: 08107314192.”