Stolen vehicle recovered after armed robbers engage Police operatives in gun battle
Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has successfully recovered a black Toyota SUV that was stolen by armed robbers on Thursday in the Lugbe area of Abuja.
In a statement issued on Friday, SP Josephine Adeh, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, detailed the events surrounding the theft.
She explained that the Command received an urgent distress call from a concerned citizen reporting the carjacking incident in the evening.
According to Adeh, the victim, Kemi H. Adidiru, was driving from Lugbe to the city center when she was suddenly ambushed by six armed men near a pedestrian bridge along Alieta Road.
The robbers forcibly removed both Adidiru and her driver from the 2012 black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (Registration No. ABJ 670 EY) before fleeing with the vehicle and the victim’s personal belongings.
A witness to the crime quickly alerted the Police Control Room, providing critical information about the stolen vehicle and the direction the robbers had taken. This led to the swift recovery of the vehicle.
“The Police acted quickly, alerting strategic checkpoints and deploying patrol teams across the FCT.
“At approximately 11:35 pm, Police operatives spotted the stolen vehicle at a checkpoint along Dantata Bridge, Galadimawa Road.
“When officers attempted to stop the suspects, they sped away, leading to a high-speed chase towards Airport Junction. Upon reaching another Police checkpoint at the Airport Junction, the suspects opened fire, engaging the Police in a fierce gun battle.
“Thanks to the superior firepower of the police, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and their firearm, fleeing into the surrounding bushes.
“The vehicle was successfully recovered, along with a bag containing an international passport belonging to Halimat Adediru, cash and other valuables.”
The PPRO confirmed that the stolen items have been returned to their rightful owner, who expressed sincere gratitude for the swift action and professionalism demonstrated by the Police.
