Police nab notorious armed robbery syndicate, recover 10 stolen vehicles in Kaduna

Nigeria Police Force, through the Force Intelligence Department – Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS), has recorded a major operational breakthrough with the arrest of three (3) notorious armed robbery suspects and the recovery of ten (10) stolen vehicles in Kaduna State.

The Force spokesman, DCP Anthony Placid, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

He said the suspects; Abubakar Musa (36), Hassan Umar (30), and Joshua Raphael (20), were apprehended on 16th March 2026 in Kaduna State.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the principal suspect, Abubakar Musa, is a dismissed Corporal of the Nigerian Army who has been impersonating a serving soldier to evade detection while carrying out armed robbery operations with his accomplices.

“Further findings indicate that the syndicate specialized in the theft and movement of stolen vehicles, often removing or altering registration details to conceal their identity and ownership.

“The operation led to the recovery of ten (10) vehicles of various brands, including Toyota Hilux trucks, Toyota Corolla cars, a Pontiac Vibe GT, a Honda vehicle, a Lexus car, and a Toyota RAV4 SUV, with several of the vehicles found without registration numbers.

“Investigations are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and recover additional exhibits.

Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has commended the operatives for their professionalism and reiterates the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to combating criminal activities and ensuring the safety of lives and property.