The Nigeria Police Force, through the Force Intelligence Department Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS), has achieved a major breakthrough with the arrest of six notorious kidnapping suspects and the rescue of victims in Kaduna State.
Suspects Arrested
The suspects, identified as Yusuf Shuaibu (23), Abubakar Bature (19), Yau Murtala, Bello Suleiman (19), Abdul Kareem Nuhu (36), and Ahmed Musa (28), were arrested on 3rd April 2026.
Police Confirmation
Confirming the arrests, the force spokesperson, DCP Anthony Placid, stated that preliminary investigations revealed the suspects are members of a kidnapping syndicate operating within Kaduna State and its environs, with links to criminal camps in Rijana Forest.
Details of Crimes
Further findings indicate the group was involved in multiple kidnapping incidents, including the abduction of a senior police officer and his son in October 2025. Despite collecting a ransom of Twenty-Four Million Naira (N24,000,000) and other items, 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.
The suspects are also linked to the abduction of other victims, including a young child and members of the same family, where a ransom of Eighteen Million Naira (N18,000,000) was collected before the victims were eventually rescued through police operations.
Ongoing Investigations
Placid further stated that investigations are ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate, rescue remaining victims, and recover the syndicate's weapons.
