In a swift operation, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command apprehended a staggering total of 311 individuals – consisting of 297 males and 14 females – at a notorious bandits’ hideout known as “Game House” in Gidan Dambe, Dei Dei, Abuja.
During the raid, law enforcement officers seized an array of weapons including guns, ammunition, swords, knives, axes, and daggers, along with motorcycles and numerous mobile phones.
FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, revealed these details during a press briefing at the Intelligence Response Team unit in Guzape, Abuja on Monday.
He explained that the operation, dubbed “Velvet,” was executed after receiving credible intelligence indicating that criminals often congregated at the “Game House” to unwind and socialize following their illicit activities.
Igweh emphasized the importance of community involvement in crime prevention, urging citizens to report suspicious activities promptly.
He stated, “Our newly launched operation Velvet raided the marked black spot and arrested 297 males and 14 females within 20 minutes of storming the area.”
In addition to the arrests, authorities recovered motorcycles, narcotics, and stolen items believed to have been looted from innocent residents.
The FCT region has been grappling with a surge in kidnappings and banditry in recent months.
Earlier this year, law enforcement agencies successfully neutralized several notorious bandits, including the apprehension of a prominent kidnapper known as Janari, responsible for numerous abductions in Kaduna State and Abuja.