Police Seize Anti-Aircraft Launcher, Arrest 50 In Nationwide Crime Crackdown

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested 50 suspects linked to terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery, and recovered a cache of high-grade weaponry including an anti-aircraft launcher, in a series of coordinated operations conducted since the start of the year, officials said Sunday.

At a briefing at the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) headquarters in Abuja, police authorities described the crackdown as a strategic offensive against criminal syndicates that have long threatened public safety across the country.

Among the items seized from dismantled cells are 17 rifles of various models, one anti-aircraft launcher, 111 rounds of live ammunition, 17 live cartridges, five walkie-talkie devices, nine magazines, three mobile phones, and a Golf vehicle, according to a statement from the force’s public relations office.

The most significant operation dismantled a 33-member gang allegedly responsible for acts of terrorism, cattle rustling, and a violent attack on the Christ Apostolic Church in Kwara State, police said.

Authorities also reported progress in securing justice for three police officers killed in Taraba State. The kingpins behind the murder of the officers, who were attached to the Donga Divisional Headquarters in Donga Local Government Area, have been apprehended.

In the Federal Capital Territory and surrounding states, police said specialized units engaged in “one-chance” abductions, car burglaries, and the operation of fake police checkpoints have been arrested. Stolen property and operational assets used to terrorize citizens have also been recovered.

In a separate operation in Benue State, acting on intelligence, operatives arrested 25-year-old Nasiru Ibrahim in the Igumale area. He was found in possession of an AK-47 rifle, a magazine, and eight rounds of live ammunition. Preliminary investigations linked him to a notorious bandit identified only as Janari, who allegedly sold him the weapon. Efforts are underway to apprehend Janari and other members of the syndicate, police said.

Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu reaffirmed the force’s commitment to national security, describing the achievements as testament to the relentless pursuit of justice by the Nigeria Police.

Several main suspects are ready for prosecution in courts of competent jurisdiction, Disu said, adding that the force continues to pursue other accomplices and recover more illegal weapons.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in its mission to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of every citizen, utilizing both human and technical intelligence to stay ahead of criminal elements,” the force’s public relations officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, said in a statement issued Monday.