Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have successfully foiled a planned kidnapping and armed attack by suspected bandits in Byazhin Forest, a suburb of Abuja. The operation, which included a fierce gun battle, led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle and rounds of live ammunition.
The raid forms part of the Command’s intensified efforts to curb the resurgence of banditry and kidnapping in border communities across the FCT, particularly in the Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada councils.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the operation was prompted by credible intelligence from the Force Headquarters’ Technical Intelligence Unit. The intelligence indicated that a notorious bandit leader, identified as Idrisa, also known as “Mai Duna,” was finalizing plans to launch simultaneous attacks on several villages near the Byazhin forest axis.
The Ambush and Encounter
Acting swiftly on this intelligence, the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit deployed tactical teams to mount an ambush along the suspected routes of the criminals at about 9:00 p.m. on October 10, 2025.
Around 1:00 a.m. on October 11, the operatives intercepted two groups of armed bandits advancing toward the area. A fierce gun battle ensued, lasting approximately twenty minutes. The police reported that the attackers were subdued and forced to retreat into the forest, with several sustaining gunshot wounds.
Reinforcement from nearby Police and Military formations was promptly deployed to secure the general area and block potential escape routes. A thorough search of the scene led to the recovery of:
One (1) AK-47 rifle with a defaced serial number
One (1) magazine
Thirty (30) rounds of live 7.6mm ammunition
CP Commends Operatives
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, commended the operatives for their gallantry and swift action, noting that their intervention averted what could have been a major security breach within the capital territory.
He further directed all medical facilities within the FCT and adjoining states to be on high alert and immediately report any person found seeking treatment for gunshot wounds to the nearest police formation.
The FCT, which hosts the nation’s seat of power, has faced increasing security threats recently. The success of the Byazhin operation is expected to boost public confidence and reassure residents in rural communities of the police’s unwavering commitment to their safety. Joint operations with military formations and local vigilante groups remain intensified to dismantle criminal hideouts in forested areas bordering Abuja and Niger State.
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