Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has commenced full enforcement of a ban on vehicles with tinted glasses and covered number plates, citing growing security concerns and their alleged use in criminal activities.
Gatekeepers News reports that FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed, announced the development on Friday while briefing journalists at the command headquarters, stating that the directive was issued by the Inspector-General of Police and that violators would be prosecuted.
According to him, investigations have shown that such vehicles are frequently used by criminals to conceal their identities while carrying out unlawful activities.
“The use of vehicles with tinted glasses and covered number plates has become a matter of public security concern. Investigations have revealed that such vehicles are being used for various degrees of crime,” he said.
The commissioner disclosed that more than 30 vehicles had already been impounded as part of the enforcement exercise and appealed to residents to cooperate with security agencies.
Muhammed also announced a series of breakthroughs recorded by the command, including the arrest of suspected kidnappers, arms traffickers and other criminal suspects operating within the FCT and neighbouring states.
He said one of the operations followed the circulation of videos on social media showing four unidentified individuals dressed in military camouflage and openly displaying AK-47 rifles, ammunition and walkie-talkies.
“My attention was drawn to videos circulating on social media depicting four unidentified individuals in possession of AK-47 rifles, ammunition, and walkie-talkies, openly brandishing the weapons in videos and pictures dressed in military camouflage,” he said.
The commissioner explained that a forensic investigation led operatives of the FCT Police Command to Runji Village in Zuba, where three suspects identified as Umar Babangida, 25; Adamu Yeti, 22; and Yahaya Idris, 24, were arrested on May 25.
“Investigations revealed that the suspects had previously been in possession of the AK-47 rifles, which were obtained from their gang leader identified only as ‘Esco’ from Rijana, Kaduna State, who is currently at large,” he stated.
Police recovered an AK-47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition, eight mobile phones, two jackknives, power banks and several videos and photographs allegedly showing the suspects posing with firearms while dressed in military camouflage.
“The suspects are currently in custody undergoing further investigation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend Esco, the gang leader, and other members of the gang who are at large and recover the firearms,” Muhammed added.
The police chief further disclosed the arrest of two suspects in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of a 22-year-old man, Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, who was reported missing on April 21.
According to him, investigations led to the arrest of Emmanuel Acha Leku, a 32-year-old Cameroonian national, and his girlfriend, Kazan Vincent, in Benue State.
“Investigations revealed that the principal suspect had previous dealings with the deceased, whom he claimed was an accomplice in a fraudulent scheme they orchestrated together,” Muhammed said.
“According to Emmanuel, after proceeds from the fraudulent activities materialized, the deceased absconded with the money and failed to remit his share. Angered by this development, the suspect lured the deceased to a mountainous area in Lokogoma, where he murdered him.”
He alleged that the suspect later used the victim’s phone to demand a ransom of N5 million from family members in an attempt to disguise the murder as a kidnapping.
Police said the victim’s decomposing remains were recovered from the crime scene and deposited at a hospital morgue for autopsy.
In another operation, the command arrested a suspected ammunition supplier identified as Yau Sule, who had reportedly been on the police watchlist since 2023.
“Strategic intelligence-led operations by the FCT Police Command have led to the arrest of one Yau Sule from Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who had been wanted by the Command since 2023,” the commissioner said.
He revealed that the suspect was arrested along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway on June 2 and was found in possession of 81 rounds of 7.62mm AK-47 ammunition and 100 rounds of 7.62mm belted ammunition intended for a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).
Muhammed said the suspect later led police to the arrest of his sister, Maria Sule, who is allegedly involved in supplying ammunition to terrorists and bandits through criminal networks operating across the FCT, Kaduna and Niger states.
The commissioner described the arrests as evidence of the command’s commitment to combating crime and safeguarding residents of the Federal Capital Territory.
