The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has successfully dismantled a notorious seven-man armed robbery and carjacking gang in a coordinated joint tactical operation led by the Scorpion Squad.
Acting on credible intelligence that the gang was planning to rob an unsuspecting victim around the Maitama area on May 19, 2025, Police operatives swiftly mobilized and intercepted the suspects on May 15, 2025.
Upon sighting the operatives, the gang opened fire. During the exchange, officers neutralized one of the suspects, Abdulmininu Bello, aka Babanle. They arrested the following seven suspects at the scene:
Ibrahim Muhammad, 22, ex-convict from Kebbi State
Abubakar Abdullahi, 22, from Plateau State
Sarajo Yusuf, 20, from Plateau State
Isiaka Adamu, ex-convict from Bauchi State
Abdullahi Isah, 18, escaped detainee from Bauchi State
Sanusi Ali, 51, resident of Kano State
Abubakar Sani, from Plateau State
The gang leader, Solomon Bawa, aka Pastor Mogu, and one other suspect fled the scene with gunshot wounds. The FCT Police Command urges residents to report anyone with suspicious injuries to aid ongoing investigations.
Officers recovered the following items from the scene:
One 2004 Toyota Camry LE
One red Boxer motorcycle
Two locally made pistols with ten 9mm live rounds
Four AK-47 rifles with magazines
Eleven rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition
One locally made shotgun
During interrogation, the suspects confessed to operating a dangerous armed robbery network specializing in the theft of SUVs and luxury vehicles. They admitted to ambushing victims at night, often with the help of insider information from domestic staff. Investigations also revealed that the gang coordinated attacks using a dedicated WhatsApp group.
The suspects confessed to selling a custom-colored Toyota Camry (popularly known as Big-for-Nothing) for ₦700,000 and a Lexus SUV for ₦1 million. They also admitted to the 2015 murder of an MTN staff member in Kaduna State.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT, commended the operatives for their bravery and professionalism and reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to eliminating violent crime across the FCT.
The Command urges residents to remain alert and report any suspicious activity or emergencies through the following emergency lines:
08032003913
08028940883
07057337653
Complaint Response Unit: 08107314192
SP Josephine Adeh, ANIPR
Police Public Relations Officer
FCT Command, Abuja
