Police Foil Planned Kidnapping, Armed Attack In Abuja Forest

Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have foiled a planned kidnapping and armed attack by suspected bandits in Byazhin Forest, a suburb of Abuja, recovering an AK-47 rifle and 30 rounds of live ammunition during the operation.

The successful operation, according to the police, was part of ongoing efforts to combat the resurgence of banditry and kidnapping around border communities in the FCT, particularly Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada where joint security patrols have recently been intensified.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the operation followed credible intelligence provided by the Force Headquarters’ Technical Intelligence Unit, which revealed that a notorious bandit leader, identified as Idrisa, also known as “Mai Duna”, had concluded plans to launch simultaneous attacks on selected villages around the Byazhin forest axis.

“Acting swiftly on the intelligence report, on 10th October 2025, at about 9:00 p.m., the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit deployed tactical teams to mount an ambush along the suspected routes of the criminals,” the statement read.

At about 1:00 a.m. on October 11, police operatives reportedly intercepted two groups of armed bandits advancing towards the targeted area, resulting in a fierce gun duel that lasted for about twenty minutes.

The statement said the bandits were overpowered and forced to retreat into the forest with gunshot wounds, while reinforcement teams were immediately deployed from nearby police and military formations.

“A thorough search of the scene led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle with a defaced serial number, one magazine, and thirty rounds of live 7.6mm ammunition,” Adeh added.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, was said to have commended the operatives for their gallantry and quick response, noting that their action averted what could have been a major security breach within the nation’s capital.

“He further directed all medical facilities within the FCT and adjoining states to be on alert and report any person found with gunshot wounds to the nearest police formation immediately,” the statement added.

The FCT, which houses Nigeria’s seat of power, has recently faced increasing security threats, especially from bandit groups operating from forested border areas.

In response, the FCT Police Command, in collaboration with military formations and local vigilante groups, has intensified joint operations aimed at dismantling criminal hideouts in forests linking Abuja and Niger State.