FCT Police arrest notorious kidnappers, recover N8.2m ransom, fully tinted vehicles
Six Arrested in Abuja Kidnapping Syndicate Case; N8.25 Million Ransom Recovered
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has apprehended six individuals suspected to be part of a notorious kidnapping syndicate and recovered N8.25 million in ransom allegedly paid by the family of a victim.
Commissioner of Police Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi announced the arrests during a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday. He noted the police received a distress call on June 29, 2026, reporting the abduction of a woman in the Maitama area.
Following the report, a team from the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit was dispatched to locate the kidnappers. According to Sanusi, the suspects contacted the victim’s family shortly thereafter, demanding a ransom of N20 million for her release.
“Unbeknownst to the suspects, we were already following their trail,” he said. Digital tracking indicated the victim had been moved out of the Federal Capital Territory and was being held in Kwan-Kwashe Village, a remote location in Niger State.
Despite collecting N8.25 million from the family, the victim was released on July 3. Police continued their investigation and arrested six gang members in Suleja, Niger State, on July 5.
The suspects have been identified as Ifeoma Nnamchi, alleged gang leader; Peter Rasheed Onwunumah; Olanipekun Anuoluwa; Jemimah Monday; Gabriel Nnamchi; and Stanley Nnamchi, two of whom are reportedly children of the gang leader.
Recovered items include the full N8.25 million ransom, two operational vehicles—a Toyota Corolla and a Toyota Camry—along with a cutlass, seven pairs of AirPods, various pieces of jewelry suspected to be stolen from previous victims, five mobile phones, and a laptop.
Sanusi revealed that both Nnamchi and another suspect, Olanipekun Anuoluwa, had previous arrests in 2022 and 2019 for similar offenses. Despite their earlier offenses, the suspects reformed the gang and resumed criminal activities along major routes in the FCT since 2024.
The police commissioner further stated that the suspects admitted to conducting several “one chance” operations, though they could not provide an exact number. In their most recent activities, the gang reported kidnapping and robbing five female victims, extorting a total of N12.8 million in ransom.
The suspects are currently in police custody and will be arraigned in court upon completion of investigations. Sanusi also cautioned the public against the use of tinted vehicle windows, as they are often utilized by criminals for illicit activities.