The police command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said it had arrested an alleged informant and logistics supplier to a kidnapping and banditry group terrorising the FCT and its environs.
The police public relations officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
She said the suspect, arrested by the anti-kidnapping unit at the Mongoro Forest, had been on the command’s wanted list.
Ms Adeh said the suspect was arrested over involvement in the supply of firearms, ammunition, and other weapons.
She said the suspect was also supplying food items and illicit drugs to the criminals in their various hideouts in the forests using a motorcycle.
According to her, exhibits recovered from the suspect include one AK47 rifle, AK47 ammunition, one mobile phone, foodstuffs, and an unregistered boxer motorcycle.
She said investigations into the case had been intensified to identify and cut off the criminal supply chain and arrest other gang members.
In a related development, Ms Adeh said the command had arrested 11 suspects over illegal possession, fabrication, and production of small arms and light weapons, armed robbery, and other criminal offences.
She said the suspects were intercepted and arrested in the Zuba area of the FCT by operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB).
Ms Adeh said items recovered from the suspects were four locally-made firearms and one live cartridge.
According to her, preliminary investigations by the police have revealed that the gang is involved in the fabrication and production of small and light weapons locally.
She said operatives from the Utako Divisional Police Headquarters had on Wednesday arrested eight suspects over an armed robbery at one Amala Garden in Utako.
Ms Adeh said three firearms of different calibers, knives, and hard drugs were recovered from the suspects, arrested following a tip-off.