FCT Police Begin Enforcement of Tinted Glass Ban, Seize Over 30 Vehicles

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has commenced the enforcement of a ban on vehicles with tinted windows and covered number plates across Abuja, citing growing security concerns and the increasing use of such vehicles in criminal activities.

Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed, said the enforcement exercise was directed by the Inspector-General of Police and is aimed at enhancing security and reducing crime within the nation’s capital.

According to the police commissioner, intelligence and ongoing investigations have shown that vehicles with heavily tinted windows and concealed registration plates are frequently used by kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminal elements to avoid identification and evade law enforcement.

Muhammed disclosed that more than 30 vehicles had already been impounded since the commencement of the operation, warning that violators would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

He urged residents of the Federal Capital Territory to cooperate with security agencies, stressing that the enforcement exercise is a necessary step toward improving public safety and strengthening security across Abuja and surrounding communities.

The commissioner also highlighted a series of major security breakthroughs recorded by the command in recent weeks, including the arrest of suspected kidnappers, illegal arms handlers and individuals linked to viral social media videos showing armed men dressed in military camouflage.

According to him, the command launched an investigation after videos surfaced online showing four unidentified men openly displaying AK-47 rifles, ammunition and communication gadgets while dressed in military uniforms.

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Following a digital forensic investigation and intelligence-led operation, operatives of the FCT Police Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), working alongside officers from the Zuba Division, arrested three suspects at Runji Village in Zuba on May 25, 2026.

The suspects were identified as Umar Babangida, 25; Adamu Yeti, 22; and Yahaya Idris, 24, all residents of Rijana in Kaduna State.

Police investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly obtained the firearms from a gang leader identified simply as “Esco,” who remains at large. Authorities also recovered additional videos and photographs from the suspects’ mobile phones showing them dressed in military camouflage while brandishing firearms and communication equipment.

Recovered exhibits included one AK-47 rifle loaded with 30 rounds of live ammunition, eight mobile phones, two jackknives, power banks and several incriminating digital materials.

Muhammed said efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing gang leader and dismantle the wider criminal network.

In a separate operation, the FCT Police Command arrested two suspects in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of 22-year-old Emmanuel Chukwuemeka.

The case was reported to the Apo Divisional Headquarters after family members raised concerns over the victim’s disappearance. Through intelligence gathering and collaboration with the Benue State Police Command, investigators tracked and arrested Emmanuel Acha Leku, a 32-year-old Cameroonian national, alongside his girlfriend, Kazan Vincent, in Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.

Police said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect and the deceased had allegedly engaged in fraudulent dealings together. Investigators alleged that a dispute over proceeds from the scheme led to the killing.

According to the police, the suspect allegedly lured the victim to a mountainous area in Lokogoma, Abuja, where he was murdered. Authorities further alleged that the victim’s phone was subsequently used to demand a ransom of N5 million from family members in an attempt to disguise the crime as a kidnapping.

The suspect was reportedly planning to flee to Cameroon before his arrest. Police recovered two mobile phones, including one belonging to the deceased, and later traced the victim’s decomposing remains, which have been deposited at Sahad Hospital in Apo for autopsy.

The command also announced the arrest of a suspected ammunition supplier accused of providing logistics and weapons to terrorists, bandits and kidnappers operating across the North-Central region and the FCT.

The suspect, Yau Sule, from Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State, had reportedly been on the command’s wanted list since 2023. He was arrested on June 2 while travelling along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

During the operation, police recovered 81 rounds of 7.62mm live AK-47 ammunition and 100 rounds of 7.62mm belted ammunition intended for a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).

Further investigations led to the arrest of Maria Sule, the suspect’s sister and wife of a wanted bandit identified as Buhari Shuaibu, who remains at large. Police alleged that she assisted in the movement and supply of ammunition to criminal groups operating in Abuja, Kaduna, Niger and neighbouring states.

The commissioner also confirmed the arrest of a suspected “one-chance” robbery suspect and the interception of a blue Volkswagen Golf vehicle conveying two additional suspects identified as Muhammed Muhammed, 22, and Muhammed Saidu, 20.

Muhammed described the arrests and recoveries as evidence of the command’s determination to tackle insecurity and protect residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

He commended members of the public for providing useful intelligence and urged residents to continue supporting law enforcement agencies with timely information that could help prevent crime and enhance public safety.

FCT Police Begin Enforcement of Tinted Glass Ban, Seize Over 30 Vehicles