The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 19 suspected cultists following a violent shootout in Bakassi Yimitu Village, located in the Apo-Waru axis of Abuja. The suspects were rounded up during a targeted operation carried out on July 24, 2025, by a joint task force made up of police operatives, local vigilantes, and hunters, acting on persistent complaints from residents about criminal cult activity in the area.
According to FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the operation took a dangerous turn when the suspects opened fire on the patrol team upon sighting them. A police officer and a local vigilante were seriously injured during the exchange and were immediately taken to the hospital for treatment. The police managed to arrest 19 suspects at the scene, while several others escaped with gunshot wounds.
In a brazen retaliatory move, the fleeing suspects later regrouped and launched an attack on the Waru Police Outstation in an attempt to free their detained members. During the assault, parts of the station were vandalised, including three patrol Hilux vehicles and six privately owned cars parked nearby. However, swift reinforcement from security agencies forced the attackers to retreat, restoring calm to the area.
FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Ajao Adewale, condemned the attack and assured that the police will intensify efforts to track down the remaining suspects. He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to protecting residents and eliminating criminal networks across the territory.