Pregnant Woman Arrested for Cooking for Kidnappers in Abuja

The police in Abuja have arrested five people linked to a kidnapping and banditry gang. Among them is a heavily pregnant woman who cooked and supplied logistics for the gang and their victims.

The FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, introduced the suspects to reporters in Abuja on Monday. He said these arrests came after a security operation in the Byazin area on June 11, 2026. During this operation, some bandits were arrested, others were killed, and some victims were freed.

Sanusi identified the woman as Hauwa Shafiu. He noted that she was heavily pregnant when the police took her in but continued to supply food and other needs to the gang and their hostages.

"After the operation, we engaged further and raided another hideout of the bandits in the same area. We arrested more suspects there.

"One of them, Shafiu, worked as a cook and logistics supplier for the criminal gang and their captives. Despite being pregnant, she did not stop committing this crime," the commissioner said.

He mentioned that after her arrest, he ordered her to be taken to a hospital, where she later gave birth.

"The baby is safe and healthy. She is also doing well. We have provided all her medical needs while she recovers," he added, noting that she is currently in the police clinic.

Other suspects picked up include Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa, and Shamsudeen Mustapha.

Sanusi explained that early investigations showed these suspects were part of a criminal group involved in kidnappings and banditry in Abuja and nearby areas. They had secretly settled in a local community about one kilometre from Abuja’s boundary.

"The group had blended into a local community just one kilometre from the FCT. This helped them gather information and plan repeated attacks on chosen targets," the commissioner stated.

He also revealed that the police recovered various items from the suspects, including four motorcycles, 31 pieces of 500mg tramadol tablets, 10 pieces of 50mg tramadol tablets, five mobile phones, one POS machine, cooking items, and N320,000 cash.

Sanusi explained that the cash was part of the ransom from a recent kidnapping.

"One suspect admitted that the N320,000 was his share of a N7 million ransom paid to the kidnappers," he said.

He added that one suspect confessed to sending a motorcycle to assist two fleeing bandits escape during the June 11 operation. This confirms that two people who avoided arrest that day received help from within the gang.

He noted that Mustapha was a key drug supplier for the bandits.

The commissioner announced that the police, working with the FCT Administration, plan to demolish the hideouts linked to the suspects.

"We have a plan. Now that we have found their houses, we will go ahead and demolish them with the FCT administration. Any other houses we find will also be brought down," he said.

He also declared several bandits wanted and said their photos have been captured. He warned that the police are ready for a fight.

"As they are looking for us, we are also looking for them," he said.