The Nigeria Police Force has announced the arrest of 50 suspects across the country over alleged involvement in fake checkpoints, kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, criminal conspiracy and other related offences within a three-month period.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anthony Placid, disclosed this during a press briefing held on Monday in Abuja, where he also provided details of recovered arms, ammunition and operational equipment linked to various criminal activities.
Placid stated that the arrests were carried out by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team following coordinated nationwide operations based on credible intelligence.
He said 17 firearms of different types, 111 rounds of live ammunition, 17 live cartridges, two empty magazines, three vehicles, five walkie-talkies and several mobile phones were recovered from the suspects during the operations conducted between January and March 2026.
According to Placid, some of the suspects were apprehended for allegedly mounting fake police checkpoints where unsuspecting motorists were robbed of cash and valuables.
He explained that in one of such operations carried out on March 3, operatives arrested four suspects in Benue State who allegedly specialised in impersonating police officers to extort and rob members of the public.
A locally fabricated rifle, a revolver pistol, live cartridges and a complete Police Mobile Force uniform allegedly used as a disguise were recovered from the suspects.
Placid added that investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang and recover additional weapons linked to their operations.
In another operation conducted on March 13, four additional suspects were arrested along the Deidei–Kubwa Expressway in Abuja for alleged involvement in abduction, extortion, robbery and attempted murder.
He stated that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were also linked to “one chance” robbery syndicates operating within the Federal Capital Territory.
Placid further disclosed that three suspected kingpins linked to the killing of three police officers in Taraba State were arrested on March 29 following intelligence-led operations.
He said the suspects were allegedly responsible for the attack on police officers attached to the Donga Divisional Police Headquarters on March 18, and had also been linked to other violent incidents in Takum Local Government Area.
The police spokesman assured that efforts were ongoing to apprehend fleeing members of the various criminal groups and recover additional operational weapons.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to sustaining intelligence-led policing and dismantling criminal networks operating across the country.
