Men of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a male and female bomb victims in connection with the bomb explosion that occurred on Monday at Tsangagyar Sani Uthman Islamiya school at Kuchibuyi village in Bwari area council of Nigeria Federal capital territory, Abuja after three suspects from Katsina State brought the Improvised Explosive Device, IED to the school owner and thus tampered with it, causing deaths and injuries.

FCT Police command in a press statement on Monday by its Spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, said; two out of the three men from Katsina State died in the process of the bomb explosion and the surviving suspect, and another female suspect that sustained injuries from the bomb explosion have been hospitalized under strict police custody.

The police command press release reads in quote thus: “The FCT Police Command regrets to inform the public of a tragic incident involving a suspected bomb explosion that occurred on January 6, 2025, at approximately 11:00am at the Tsangagyar Sani Uthman Islamiyya School, located in Kuchibuyi Village, Byazhin area of the FCT.

Upon receiving a distress call from the Sarki of Kuchibuyi, a team of police operatives, including the Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team and the Area Commander of Kubwa, swiftly mobilized to the scene. The area was immediately cordoned off to protect residents and facilitate a thorough investigation.

During the rescue operation, victims were promptly evacuated and rushed to the  Hospital for medical attention.

Preliminary investigations revealed that three men from Katsina had visited the owner of the Islamic school, Mallam Adamu Ashimu. The three visitors are suspected of having brought the explosive device with them.

Tragically, two of the men died in the explosion while tampering with the improvised explosive device (IED), on the school Veranda,  while the third man and a female trader sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving treatment under police guard.

The FCT Bomb Squad has confirmed that it was an IED explosion, as remnants of the device have been recovered.

Mallam Adamu Ashimu, the owner of the school, has been taken into custody for questioning, and further findings will be communicated in due course.

The Commissioner of Police, FCT,
Cp Olatunji Disu urges members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, behavior, or items that may resemble improvised explosive devices to the police via our emergency numbers: 0806 158 1938, 0803 200 3913, 0802 894 0883, 0705 733 7653, CRU: 0810 731 4192 and PCB: 0902 222 2352.

Safety Advice for Residents of FCT:
1. Stay Alert: Be aware of your surroundings and report any unusual behavior or items to the authorities.
2. Do Not Touch Suspicious Objects: If you encounter any suspicious items, do not touch or attempt to move them. Instead, call the police immediately.
3. Emergency Numbers: Keep emergency contact numbers handy and ensure your family members are aware of them.
4. Community Vigilance:Collaborate with your neighbors to maintain a safe environment”, SP Josephine Adeh, 
Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command stated in the press release on Monday.

The FCT police command had in a New Year press statement stated that Abuja as the political and business hub of Nigeria attracts diverse individuals, both with legitimate and illegitimate intentions.

Announcing its achievement for the year 2024 and the command readiness to battle crimes in the territory in 2025, the Police stated in quote thus: “The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), located at the heart of the Federation and bordered by Niger, Kaduna, Kogi, and Nasarawa States, serves as the political and business hub of Nigeria.

Its unique position attracts diverse individuals, including those with both legitimate and illegitimate intentions. At the start of 2024, the FCT faced significant security challenges across its six area councils, including banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, car theft, “one-chance” robbery, illegal possession and use of firearms, homicides, and other violent crimes.

In alignment with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun the FCT Police Command conducted a thorough analysis of the security situation, carried out crime-mapping, identified crime hotspots, and implemented an action plan with the following strategies:

•Robust community policing engagements.
•Sustained targeted clearance operations.
•Intelligence-led and visibility policing.
•Collaboration with sister security agencies. •Strategic communication, public enlightenment, and sensitization.

Achievements (January–December 2024): During the year under review, a total of 1,426 cases were reported, leading to the arrest of 1,077 suspects.

ArRESTS: •Kidnapping: 104 cases reported; 216 suspects arrested.
•Armed Robbery: 268 cases reported; 132 suspects arrested.
•“One-Chance” Robbery: 263 cases reported; 71 suspects arrested.
•Cybercrime: 32 cases reported; 15 suspects arrested.
•Homicide: 68 cases reported; 78 suspects arrested.
•Burglary: 73 cases reported; 20 suspects arrested.
•Fraud: 385 cases reported; 422 suspects arrested.
•Cultism: 38 cases reported; 59 suspects arrested.
•Police Misconduct: 68 cases reported to the Command’s Complaint Response Unit (CRU).
•Car Theft: 127 cases reported; 64 suspects arrested.

ReSCUES: •Kidnapping Victims Rescued: 68. •“One-Chance” Robbery Victims Rescued: 19.

CaSES ChARGED To CoURT AnD CoNVICTIONS: •Kidnapping: 38 suspects charged; 21 convicted.
•“One-Chance” Robbery: 16 suspects charged; 11 convicted.
•Homicide: 32 suspects charged; 8 convicted.
•Fraud: 178 suspects charged; 58 convicted.
•Cultism: 19 suspects charged; 11 convicted.
•Burglary: 26 suspects charged; 8 convicted.
•Police Misconduct: 58 suspects charged; no convictions recorded.
•Car Theft: 21 suspects charged; 11 convicted.

ReCOVERIES: •Firearms: 376, including 13 AK-47 magazines and 187 rounds of live ammunition. •Cash Recovered:
•₦36,850,000 from kidnapping suspects.
•₦68,552,000 from armed robbery suspects.
•₦19,590,000 from burglary cases.
•₦285,000,000 from fraud cases.
•Grand Total: ₦409,992,000. •Vehicles Recovered: •73 from car theft cases.
•24 from “one-chance” robbery cases.
•2 from cultism cases.

From the above statistics, a 15.1% reduction in crime incidents within the FCT was recorded between 2023 and 2024.

PoLICE OfFICERS WhO DiED In ThE LiNE Of DuTY/AcTIVE SeRVICE: 140 officers.

Plans for 2025: Building on the successes of 2024, the Command will intensify:
•Community policing engagements.
•Intelligence-led policing strategies.
•Targeted clearance operations.
•Public enlightenment initiatives to address the evolving security demands of the FCT.

Appreciation: The Command extends its heartfelt gratitude to the Honourable Minister of the FCT, residents, sister security agencies, the media, members of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), vigilante groups, and community policing stakeholders for their unwavering support and cooperation”, the FCT Command stated.