Zainab Ali
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested four suspected members of a notorious car-snatching syndicate and recovered six stolen vehicles alongside ₦15.28 million in cash.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed this in a statement released on Wednesday, noting that the arrests followed coordinated operations by the Gwagwalada and Mabushi Divisions, as well as the Command’s Scorpion Squad.
The suspects were identified as Dalhatu Bashiru, an ex-convict; Nwadigo Emmanuel; Uchenna Kalu; and Alhaji Jazuli Adamu. Adeh said Adamu, the alleged principal receiver of the stolen vehicles, was traced to Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State, where he was arrested with ₦15,280,000 reportedly meant for the purchase of another batch of stolen vehicles.
According to the police, three of the vehicles were initially recovered by the Jabi, Gwagwalada and Mabushi Divisions, while further investigation by the Scorpion Squad led to the arrest of additional suspects, the recovery of four more vehicles and the seizure of the cash.
The recovered vehicles include: a black Toyota Prado SUV (2008 model), Reg. No. RSH 967 JJ; a grey KIA Optima (2009 model), Reg. No. RMY 88 AA; a grey Toyota Corolla recovered in Gwagwalada; another grey Toyota Corolla, Reg. No. JUX 890 AA; an ash-coloured Toyota Camry (pencil-light), Reg. No. APR 459 AE; and a black Toyota Corolla, Reg. No. 578 AA.
Adeh added that preliminary investigations revealed that Adamu works closely with an accomplice, Alhaji Abdulkarim Gabeida Ibrahim, a Nigerien national who is believed to coordinate the resale of stolen vehicles in the Niger Republic. Ibrahim is currently at large, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend him.
“All suspects and recovered exhibits are in police custody as investigations continue to track down other fleeing members of the gang,” Adeh said.
Car-snatching syndicates remain a persistent security challenge across Abuja and its satellite towns, often operating through coordinated networks that move stolen vehicles across state borders and into neighbouring countries, particularly the Niger Republic. The FCT Police Command has intensified intelligence-driven operations in recent months, including the deployment of specialised units such as the Scorpion Squad, to curb the crime.
The latest arrests are part of ongoing efforts to dismantle organised criminal networks and improve security within the FCT.