Kubwa Market Gunfire: Police Arrest NSCDC Officer, Recover Pistol

A reported dispute involving an NSCDC officer’s wife has put public safety at the centre of a police investigation in Abuja. The officer was arrested after allegedly firing shots into the air at Kubwa Market, where police say they recovered a pistol and 17 rounds of live ammunition.

Atlantic Post

October 28, 2026

2–3 minutes

Abuja crime, FCT Police Command, Gun Violence, Kubwa Market, NSCDC, Security Agencies

A dispute reportedly sparked by claims that traders assaulted an officer’s wife escalated into alleged gunfire, prompting his arrest and a call for better security coordination.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a Deputy Superintendent of Corps with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Onoja Samuel, for allegedly firing gunshots into the air at a market in Kubwa, Abuja.

The arrest followed a distress call reporting that an armed man was shooting sporadically at the market, raising concerns about public safety in the busy commercial area.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the incident occurred at about 1.50 pm on Sunday, 25 October.

Adeh said police operatives attached to the Kubwa Police Division were immediately deployed after receiving the report. The officers subsequently disarmed and arrested the suspect.

Dispute Over Alleged Assault on Wife

Preliminary investigations reportedly revealed that Samuel had gone to the market armed with a pistol following reports that some traders had assaulted his wife.

The police said an argument subsequently broke out between the suspect and the traders, during which he allegedly fired several shots into the air.

The circumstances surrounding the reported assault on his wife, including what triggered the confrontation, were not detailed in the statement.

The police confirmed that officers recovered a firearm and live ammunition during the arrest.

“During the arrest, a CZ pistol and seventeen (17) rounds of live 9mm ammunition were recovered from the suspect,” the statement said.

The recovery of the firearm and ammunition forms part of the police account of the incident, while investigations into the circumstances of the alleged shooting remain ongoing.

Samuel remains in police custody and is expected to be charged in court after the conclusion of investigations, according to the command.

The allegations have not yet been tested in court.

FCT Police Call for Better Coordination Among Security Agencies

The incident also prompted the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, to urge personnel of sister security agencies operating within the territory to exercise restraint and strengthen operational coordination.

Sanusi asked personnel of other security agencies intending to conduct authorised operations in the FCT to notify the police divisions responsible for the areas concerned.

According to the police command, the directive is intended to improve cooperation among security agencies and prevent avoidable clashes.

The appeal highlights the importance of coordination between security organisations operating within the nation’s capital, where their respective duties may bring them into contact with members of the public and other law enforcement personnel.

For traders and other residents of Kubwa, the investigation must establish the circumstances that led to the alleged gunfire and determine the appropriate next steps under the law.

The police have yet to provide further details about the reported assault on Samuel’s wife or indicate whether anyone sustained injuries during the incident.

The conclusion of the investigation is expected to clarify the circumstances of the confrontation and the allegations against the detained officer.