A notorious armed robber was killed and seven members of his criminal gang arrested in a coordinated tactical operation led by the Scorpion Squad of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
According to police authorities, the gang, known for armed robbery and high-profile carjackings across Abuja, had been on the command’s watchlist following multiple incidents linked to their network.
Acting on credible intelligence that the group was planning an armed robbery in the Maitama area on May 19, police operatives preemptively intercepted them on May 15. The suspects reportedly opened fire upon sighting the officers, leading to a shootout in which one of the gang leaders, Abdulmininu Bello (alias Babanle), was fatally shot.
Seven suspects were arrested at the scene. They include:
- 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 police confirmed that the gang’s kingpin, Solomon Bawa (alias Pastor Mogu), escaped alongside another suspect, both with gunshot wounds. Authorities are urging the public to report anyone with suspicious injuries for further investigation.
Recovered items from the scene include:
- A 2004 Toyota Camry LE
- A red Boxer motorcycle
- Two locally made pistols with ten rounds of live 9mm ammunition
- Four AK-47 rifles and magazines
- Eleven rounds of live 7.62mm ammunition
- One locally made shotgun
Initial interrogations revealed that the gang operated a WhatsApp group to plan attacks and often relied on insider information from domestic staff of targeted victims. They specialised in snatching SUVs and luxury vehicles at gunpoint, usually during nighttime ambushes.
The suspects also confessed to selling a custom-painted Toyota Camry, commonly referred to as “Big-for-Nothing,” for ₦700,000 and a Lexus SUV for ₦1 million. Disturbingly, they also admitted to involvement in the 2015 murder of an MTN employee in Kaduna State.
FCT Commissioner of Police commended the bravery of the operatives involved and reiterated the Command’s resolve to rid the capital territory of violent criminal elements. All suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court following the conclusion of investigations.
