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 rounds of ammunition in a late-night operation.
The operation, according to the Command, was part of a renewed offensive to tackle the resurgence of banditry and kidnapping in border communities around the FCT, particularly in Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada Area Councils.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the raid followed credible intelligence from the Force Headquarters’ Technical Intelligence Unit, which revealed that a notorious bandit leader identified as Idrisa, also known as “Mai Duna,” had finalized plans to launch coordinated attacks on villages within 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,” Adeh stated.
At about 1:00 a.m. on October 11, operatives reportedly engaged two groups of armed bandits in a fierce gun battle that lasted roughly twenty minutes. The heavily armed attackers were overpowered and forced to retreat into the forest with gunshot wounds.
Following the confrontation, reinforcements were quickly deployed from nearby police and military formations to secure the area and block possible escape routes. A thorough search of the scene led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle with a defaced serial number, one magazine, and thirty live rounds of 7.6mm ammunition.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, commended the operatives for their gallantry, saying their swift response prevented what could have been a major security breach within the nation’s capital.
He also directed all medical facilities in the FCT and neighbouring states to report any person found with gunshot wounds to the nearest police station immediately.
The FCT has witnessed rising security threats in recent months, prompting intensified joint operations between the police, the military, and local vigilante groups to flush out criminal elements hiding in forests linking Abuja to Niger State.
The successful Byazhin operation, according to security observers, signals a stronger resolve by the FCT Police Command to restore peace and reassure residents of their safety.
