The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, CP Haruna G. Garba, has said that the Joint Task Force of Operation Safe FCT, in the last two weeks arrested 135 suspects for various crimes bordering on “one chance,” drug trafficking, among others.
Speaking Thursday in Abuja at a press briefing with other security agencies on the successes recorded by the Joint Taskforce in the last two weeks, the CP said the suspects were arrested at various black spots located at Kwali, Dutse Alhaji, Mpape, Karu, AYA, Nyaya, Karimo, Karshi, Kuje, Airport road, Berger Roundabout, Jabi, Orozo and Mararaba etc.
He said: “In line with the mandate of the operation, the Joint Task Force comprising of the NPF, military, NSCDC and DTRS carried out coordinated raids of criminal hideouts, uncompleted buildings, shanties and of course clearance operations in the bushes and forest bordering the FCT.
“In the course of the operation, the joint Task Force arrested one hundred and thirty five (135) suspects at various black spots located at; Kwali, Dutse Alhaji, Mpape, Karu, AYA, Nyaya, Karimo, Karshi, Kuje, Airport road, Berger Roundabout, Jabi, Orozo and Mararaba etc. Out of these numbers, seventy five suspects were arraigned in court for various offences, while sixty five were sentenced to pay fine ranging from N5,000 – N7,000, the remaining ten were sentenced to community service.
“It is a pleasure to inform you that the 39 suspects we are parading today have been under interrogation and will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation. Out of this number, eight suspects are suspected to be members of one chance syndicate, as knives, handcuffs and swords were recovered from their vehicles.
“In the course of the two weeks operation, fifty four vehicles have been impounded. A substantial number of the vehicles are without number plates, others with tinted glasses, others with only plate numbers in front while others has only plate numbers at the back.
“Offending drivers/owners of these vehicles will soon be arraigned in court. In addition, two locally fabricated guns, one locally made berretta pistol, one revolver double barrel gun with two live cartridges were recovered.
“Also recovered are three full bags of leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa and quite a number of wraps of Indian hemp and illicit drugs.”