The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has rescued two suspected “one chance” robbers from a mob attack in the Utako area of Abuja, warning residents against taking the law into their hands.
The command said the intervention followed a distress call received by the Utako Police Division at about 11am on Thursday, prompting the deployment of operatives to the scene.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, officers arrived to find an angry crowd assaulting two male suspects, later identified as Kefas Akaye and Uya Ugwowere.
The suspects were extracted from the mob and taken into custody before the situation escalated.
Adeh explained that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were part of a four-man gang involved in “one chance” robbery operations across the FCT, a crime in which perpetrators disguise themselves as commercial drivers or passengers to rob unsuspecting victims.
She added that the suspects allegedly travelled from Uke in Nasarawa State into Abuja to carry out their operations, noting that two other members of the gang, identified only as Mary and Aisha, fled the scene during the commotion.
The police spokesperson said efforts were ongoing to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects, while reiterating the command’s condemnation of jungle justice and mob violence.
According to her, attacks on suspects not only put innocent lives at risk but also obstruct investigations by destroying vital evidence and complicating efforts to identify and apprehend accomplices.
The FCT Police Command urged residents to remain law-abiding, advising members of the public to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station rather than resort to mob action.