The Nigeria Police Force has arrested 262 suspected criminals, rescued 27 kidnapped victims and recovered 34 firearms and 375 rounds of live ammunition during nationwide operations between September 5 and 11, 2026.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Aniete Iniedu, disclosed this on Sunday, saying the operations also led to the recovery of 11 vehicles and the neutralisation of 11 armed suspects across various commands and tactical formations.
He said the suspects were arrested in connection with alleged offences including kidnapping, armed robbery, murder, banditry, cultism, human trafficking, drug peddling and vandalism.
According to the Force headquarters, 50 homicide incidents, 28 armed robbery cases, 10 cultism-related incidents, eight gender-based violence cases, 27 kidnapping incidents, 22 banditry incidents and five terrorism-related incidents were recorded during the period.
In Delta State, police rescued a 60-year-old kidnapped victim, Nduka Omoyi, following a gun duel with his abductors, while in Ebonyi State, operatives rescued a Methodist clergyman, Ndulo Amofia, after he was allegedly abducted by two armed men.
In Kwara State, two suspects wanted over alleged kidnapping and banditry were arrested in Baruten Local Government Area, with police recovering N770,000, two smartphones, a locally made bulletproof vest and a power bank.
The suspects were later handed over to military authorities over their alleged connection with a recent attack in Niger State.
In Sokoto State, tactical teams responding to intelligence on a planned bandit attack engaged suspected bandits in Yadiya Village, Sokoto North Local Government Area. Four suspects were reportedly neutralised, while an AK-47 rifle and 28 rounds of ammunition were recovered.
In Kaduna State, police, vigilantes and local hunters raided suspected bandit camps in Ikara Local Government Area, where two suspects were reportedly neutralised and two kidnapped victims rescued. Three local hunters were killed and another injured during the operation.
In Katsina State, police intercepted suspected bandits at Mararabar Dayawa Forest in Kafur Local Government Area.
One suspect was reportedly neutralised, while a kidnapped victim from Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State was rescued and two motorcycles recovered.
In Gombe State, a joint clearance operation in Dukku and Kwami Local Government Areas led to the arrest of a suspected kidnap operative and the rescue of three kidnapped victims, including a two-year-old child. A motorcycle and three mobile phones were also recovered.
In Akwa Ibom State, marine operatives foiled a planned kidnapping operation after raiding a suspected kidnappers’ camp along the Calabar-Oron channel.
The suspects fled, but police recovered a pump-action gun, ammunition, two speedboats and four outboard engines.
