By Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has launched a manhunt for a group of armed carjackers who stole a Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep in the Garki area of the FCT.
The five-member syndicate, which had been under police surveillance for its involvement in a string of carjackings, reportedly snatched the said vehicle at gunpoint on April 23, 2025.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed that though the car was recovered barely 30 minutes after it was reported stolen, the criminals remain at large, and the police are intensifying efforts to capture them.
The command explained that the carjacking occurred at approximately 8:35 PM when the armed assailants, dressed in black, intercepted the vehicle belonging to Alhaji Nasiru Aminu.
The criminals fired shots into the air to disperse bystanders, before fleeing the scene in the stolen vehicle.
According to the police, “Upon receiving the distress call, the Divisional Police Officer immediately alerted the Command’s Control Room, which promptly activated the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, and placed all stop-and-search units on high alert. Police teams were strategically deployed to major entry and exit points across the city.”
Adeh further explained that with real-time tracking and intelligence support, the police managed to recover the stolen vehicle under Banex Bridge in Maitama just 30 minutes later and a search of the vehicle revealed 9mm ammunition, confirming the armed nature of the crime.
“Surveillance efforts, led by the Divisional Police Officer Maitama, CSP Altine Daniel, and supported by the Police Technical Intelligence Unit, TIU, commenced real-time tracking of the stolen vehicle. Acting swiftly on actionable intelligence, operatives closed in on the suspects. In a bid to evade arrest, the criminals abandoned the vehicle under Banex Bridge and escaped in a pre-arranged getaway car.”
She added that, “Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspects are members of a notorious syndicate known for a string of car-snatching and armed robbery incidents within the Wuse and Maitama axis. The group has long been on the Command’s watchlist, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing members.”
FCT Police Commissioner, CP Ajao Adewale, commended the police for their prompt response and successful vehicle recovery, highlighting the role of intelligence-driven operations in modern policing.
“The professionalism and rapid response of the officers involved in the operation is commendable,” Adewale said.
He encouraged residents to install digital tracking devices in their vehicles to facilitate swift recovery and deter criminal activity.
