The Nigeria Police Force has recorded a series of operational successes across several states, leading to the recovery of firearms and ammunition, arrest of suspected kidnappers, armed robbers and human traffickers, and the disruption of planned attacks.
The operations, conducted between August 25 and 26, 2026, were contained in the Force’s state-by-state executive summary of operational activities released on Thursday.
In Kaduna State, police operatives responding to a distress call at Yan Karfe Motor Park intercepted a suspicious passenger travelling with a sack of potatoes.
A search of the sack reportedly uncovered two AK-47 rifles, 228 RPG rounds, 275 AK-47 rounds, five AK-47 magazines, ₦17,500 cash and quantities of suspected hard drugs.
The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Ken Leave, was arrested and is assisting investigators.
In Oyo State, police arrested four suspected members of an armed robbery syndicate allegedly involved in the theft of trucks across Oyo and neighbouring states.
One white Sino Ruk Howo truck, reportedly stolen along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, was recovered. Further investigations led to the arrest of the driver and tracker/demobiliser allegedly connected to the syndicate, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing suspects.
Also in Oyo, operatives recovered ₦4.168 million allegedly linked to ransom paid for a kidnapped victim in Iseyin.
A suspect, Mohammed Sani, was arrested during a stop-and-search operation in the Alaganran mining area. Further investigations reportedly led to the arrest of the wife of one of the fleeing suspects.
In another operation, police arrested Bello Mahmoud, who was allegedly traced to Opa Village through Igbeti after his mobile phone was reportedly found at the scene of the murder of a local guard at Ojo Aro Village.
According to the police, Mahmoud confessed to belonging to a kidnapping gang that invaded the community and allegedly murdered the victim.
In Bauchi State, three suspects were arrested and three locally fabricated firearms recovered.
One of the suspects, Abubakar Ahmad, also known as Tino, was reportedly arrested while attempting to hand over a locally made pistol loaded with an expended cartridge.
Police said investigations revealed that the firearm was purchased for ₦30,000 from a welder. A subsequent search of the welder’s workshop reportedly produced two additional locally fabricated Dane guns, a hacksaw, a file and a long pipe allegedly used in making firearms.
In Benue State, personnel of Operation Zenda responded to an attack by armed bandits targeting farmers and destroying crops along the Ayilamo axis of Logo Local Government Area.
One unidentified bandit was neutralised during the operation, while an AK-47 rifle and seven rounds of 7.62x39mm ammunition were recovered.
Similarly, in Katsina State, police tactical teams foiled an attempted attack by a large group of heavily armed bandits advancing towards Dansarai and Kamfani communities.
The operatives engaged the attackers, reportedly neutralising one and forcing others to retreat into the bush with gunshot injuries. Clearance operations are still ongoing.
In Delta State, four suspects were arrested over the alleged abduction and assault of a victim in Ekiugbo, Ughelli.
The police alleged that the victim was held for two days, tied up and assaulted with cutlasses in an attempt to forcefully initiate him into a criminal group. A cutlass and rope were recovered from the suspects.
In a separate operation in Delta, three suspected members of a “one-chance” robbery syndicate were arrested during routine patrol.
Items recovered included two UBA ATM cards, a female bag containing ₦80,000, a power bank, face cap, identity card, female clothing and an MP3 player. The suspects allegedly confessed to dispossessing a female victim of the items.
In Enugu State, an investigation into phone theft reportedly led police to uncover a suspected human trafficking network.
According to the Force, a suspect confessed to trafficking four female victims to an accomplice in Ghana since early 2026 at ₦250,000 per victim.
Police said efforts are underway to locate the victims and arrest other individuals allegedly connected to the network.
In Kano State, two suspects were arrested following the fatal stabbing of 22-year-old Yusuf Zakaria during a disturbance along the Dorayi–Charanchi Road.
In a separate operation, two suspects travelling from Borno towards Zamfara were arrested after military camouflage uniforms were allegedly discovered in their bags without valid identification or authorisation.
In Osun State, police officers deployed to secure a student week event at Royal Garden Hotel, Esa-Oke, foiled an attack after hoodlums reportedly stormed the venue.
The suspects fled into a nearby bush, abandoning a cross bag containing a locally made pistol and a live cartridge.
Meanwhile, in Ogun State, police arrested a 22-year-old man over the alleged defilement of a 14-year-old girl.
The victim was taken to a hospital for medical examination and treatment, while investigations into the incident continue.
The Force also reported that police contained a public disturbance in Kankara, Katsina State, following a fatal shooting involving personnel of a local security outfit and herders.
Police said calm was restored through engagements with the leadership of the security outfit and the Local Government Peace Initiative Committee.
The Nigeria Police Force said investigations into the various cases are ongoing, while efforts continue to arrest fleeing suspects and uncover the wider networks allegedly behind the crimes.
The Force reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led policing and the protection of lives and property, urging members of the public to provide timely and credible information to security agencies.
