The Katsina State Police Command has dismantled a seven-man kidnapping syndicate and recovered N7.5 million in ransom money. The syndicate was responsible for the abduction of an eight-year-old boy in Katsina Metropolis.
According to a statement released on Saturday, May 23, 2026, by the command's spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, one of the suspects, Nura Aliyu, 39, was identified as the mastermind and a neighbor to the victim's family.
The victim was abducted on May 13, 2026, while returning from an Islamic school around 6:00 p.m. The kidnappers contacted the family the following day and demanded N50 million for the boy's release. After negotiations, the family paid N17 million before the victim was freed.
Upon receiving the report, police operatives from the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) launched an investigation. Acting on credible intelligence, they tracked down and arrested six members of the gang on Friday, May 23, 2026.
Those arrested include: Nura Aliyu, 39, the mastermind and neighbor; Abubakar Aminu, 37; Ibrahim Muhammad, 51; Iliyasu Sani, 51; Abubakar Muhammad, 27; and Abdullahi Isma'il, 30. During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and mentioned one Abdul, who is currently at large, as their accomplice. A manhunt is ongoing for the fleeing suspect.
Items recovered from the suspects include a Peugeot 307, a Boxer motorcycle, and N7.5 million in cash, which was part of the ransom money.
The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Ali Umar Fage, commended the operatives for the swift operation and assured the public of the command's commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes. The suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
