The Nigeria Police Force has arrested six suspected kidnappers and rescued several victims in Kaduna State in what authorities described as a major operational success.
Force Public Relations Officer, Anthony Placid, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the arrests were carried out by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Special Tactical Squad on April 3, 2026.
The suspects Yusuf Shuaibu (23), Abubakar Bature (19), Yau Murtala, Bello Suleiman (19), Abdul Kareem Nuhu (36), and Ahmed Musa (28) are believed to be members of a kidnapping syndicate operating within Kaduna and surrounding areas, with links to criminal hideouts in Rijana Forest.
Placid said the operation not only led to the arrest of the suspects but also facilitated the rescue of victims and exposed the group’s alleged involvement in multiple high-profile abductions.
“The Nigeria Police Force… has recorded a major breakthrough with the arrest of six notorious kidnapping suspects and the rescue of victims in Kaduna State,” he said.
Preliminary investigations, according to the police, indicate that the suspects are part of a well-coordinated criminal network responsible for several kidnapping incidents in the state.
The police further revealed that the syndicate was involved in the abduction of a senior police officer and his son in October 2025.
“Despite collecting a ransom of twenty-four million naira, the victims were not released until police operatives intervened, leading to the successful rescue of the officer’s son unharmed. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the officer,” Placid stated.
The suspects were also linked to the abduction of a young child and members of the same family, during which a ransom of eighteen million naira was reportedly paid before their eventual rescue through police intervention.
Placid assured that ongoing investigations are aimed at apprehending other members of the gang still at large, rescuing remaining victims, and recovering weapons used by the syndicate.
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