The Maitama and Wuse II neighbourhoods of Abuja were raided by the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) combined security Joint Taskforce, which resulted in the arrest of 480 suspects.

After the arrest, Bennett Igweh, the team’s commander, claimed that the capture of the suspects was a result of the Task force’s relentless efforts in searching for the suspected criminals in the Federal Capital City’s “dark spots.”

He went on to say that the suspects, who were largely men, had made green spaces, undeveloped plots, and vacant homes their shelter for illegal activity.

Igweh said the team would stop at nothing in riding the city of criminal elements that threaten the peace of the Federal Capital Territory residents.

He hinted that items recovered from them include police uniforms, mobile phones, a loaded pistol, matchets and charms.

According to him, the 480 suspects would be profiled and handed over to appropriate authorities for necessary actions.

Igwe said: “We have arrested about 480 suspected criminals, We are going to take many of them to court, they live in unauthorised places in FCT which is an offence. They want to hide within the shanties and black spots in order to commit havoc in Abuja.

“We will do thorough profiling because we are suspecting that there could be escapees from Kuje Correctional Centre.

“We are starting from the City centre, and we will expand it to other areas, the exercise will reach 21 satellite villages and towns; from Kabusa, Gishiri, Waru, to Wasa and others. We have told them to find where they will go or find a lawful settlement where they can live. We have agreed that if you fight us, we will fight you.

“This operation is one that the security agencies have started since, we are about to start operation G-7 but we want to clear the city centre of criminals. We have agreed to do it together. I’m the Commander of this joint task force that comprises of the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Immigration Service, DSS and other sister agencies. And all of us combined, you can see the result. We started by 1:00 am today, and by about 3 am, this is what we were able to do.

“The suspects specialized in robbery; they have different security uniforms, we caught them in the Police uniforms. It’s just regrettable.

“In one of the camps, we recovered a fully loaded pistol because we took them by surprise, that was why we were able to recover what we had recovered. We will continue to take them by surprise, as this operation will not stop. We have started it this midnight, and we will continue. We have asked them to leave the town as they are not supposed to be here,” he added. (Daily Independent)

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