Police operatives in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have arrested four suspected members of a notorious ‘one-chance’ gang accused of robbing and kidnapping unsuspecting passengers across different parts of Abuja. The arrests followed a swift operation in Dape Village that led to the rescue of two abducted victims.
In Nigeria, the term ‘one-chance’ is commonly used to describe robberies or kidnappings that occur inside a moving vehicle disguised as public transport, where passengers are lured, robbed, or held hostage. According to a statement issued on Sunday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the suspects were captured in the early hours of October 9, 2025, after police received a distress call from a female victim around 10:09 p.m. the previous night.
The caller reportedly informed police officers that she had been kidnapped and that her abductors were demanding a ransom of ₦1 million for her release. Acting on the intelligence, operatives from the Life Camp Police Division swiftly launched a tactical operation that led them to Dape Village, where the suspects were eventually intercepted. During the operation, two kidnapped victims were rescued, though one of them sustained multiple stab injuries and was immediately rushed to Gwarinpa General Hospital for medical treatment.
The arrested suspects were identified as Solomon Tanko, Samuel Audu, Chigozie Joseph, and Emmanuel Chidiebere. Preliminary investigations revealed that the gang had been operating within the Bannex and Kado areas of Abuja, using a tinted vehicle to deceive unsuspecting passengers before robbing or abducting them. Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to robbing at least six victims, both men and women, prior to their arrest.
Items recovered from the suspects included 15 international passports, bloodstained documents, two sharp daggers, two cutlasses, four mobile phones, two hammers, and three biros. The police stated that the recovered items would serve as evidence during prosecution, adding that the suspects would be charged to court once investigations are completed.
SP Adeh commended the quick and coordinated response of the Life Camp Police Division and reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the FCT. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, praised the professionalism displayed by the officers and urged residents to remain security-conscious, avoid suspicious vehicles, and promptly report any unusual activities to the nearest police station.