ABUJA — The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has busted a dangerous cross-border kidnapping syndicate, arresting three suspects who recently went viral in a social media video openly brandishing sophisticated firearms.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Sanusi, confirmed that the arrests were executed at exactly 3:22 AM on May 25, 2026, following advanced digital forensic analysis and intelligence-led tracking. Operatives from the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) Sector 5 and the Zuba Division launched a coordinated pre-dawn raid on the suspects’ hideout at Runji Village in the Zuba axis of the FCT.
The three arrested suspects have been identified as:
- Umar Babangida (25 years old)
- Adamu Yeti (22 years old)
- Yahaya Idris (24 years old)
All three suspects are confirmed residents of the notorious Rijana community along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway in Kaduna State, a known corridor for highway banditry and rural kidnappings.
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| FCT POLICE DETAILED RAID PROFILE |
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| OPERATIONAL PARAMETER | DETAILS / LIVE METRICS |
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| Time & Date of Raid | 03:22 AM | May 25, 2026 |
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| Primary Location | Runji Village, Zuba, FCT |
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| Suspect Base Origins | Rijana, Kaduna State |
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| Digital Evidence Recovered | Camouflage photos, rifle videos |
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| Syndicate Kingpin | “Esco” (Currently at large) |
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The Digital Footprint and Network Depth
The network’s operations highlight a dangerous level of logistical organization and digital audacity among contemporary bandit groups. The viral video that triggered the investigation showed the suspects dressed in military camouflage, carrying functional walkie-talkies, AK-47 assault rifles, and multiple chains of live ammunition.
Upon their arrest, a thorough search of their mobile devices yielded even more incriminating media. Investigators recovered multiple videos and photographs showing the trio posing with heavy weaponry in various forest locations.
The FCT Police Command has linked the recovered weapons and operational gear to a notorious regional gang leader known in underground networks simply as “Esco.” This connection indicates that the three suspects are not isolated actors but frontline foot soldiers for a much larger, well-funded interstate network operating between the Kaduna and FCT borders.
Critical Next Steps for Security Authorities
To completely dismantle this specific network and prevent the emergence of similar armed groups, security experts suggest that tactical agencies must immediately move past basic arrests and implement a more aggressive framework:
- Target the Supply Chain: The logistics network that provides military-grade camouflage uniforms, encrypted walkie-talkies, and ammunition to actors like “Esco” must be identified and cut off through stricter military inventory audits and border checks.
- Intensify Interstate Border Intelligence: Since the suspects migrated from Kaduna State to establish a hideout in the FCT, security commands in neighboring states must synchronize their digital tracking databases to monitor the movement of high-risk individuals across state lines.
- Incentivize Rural Surveillance: Communities like Runji Village in Zuba must be integrated into localized intelligence gathering networks. This ensures that non-residents relocating from conflict corridors are quickly flagged for vetting before establishing functional operational bases.
The FCT Police Command has stated that intense tracking operations are currently ongoing to apprehend “Esco” and recover the stockpiled firearms used by his gang.
