Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command have arrested six suspected members of a seven-man kidnapping syndicate allegedly involved in the abduction of an eight-year-old boy in Katsina metropolis.
The police said the suspects were arrested during a coordinated intelligence-led operation carried out by the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit of the command.
The command also recovered ₦7.5 million believed to be part of the ransom paid by the victim’s family, as well as a Peugeot 307 vehicle, a Boxer motorcycle and other exhibits.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, disclosed this in a statement issued on behalf of the command.
According to the statement, the boy was abducted on May 13, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m. while returning home from an Islamic school.
The suspects were said to have later contacted the victim’s family and demanded ₦50 million as ransom before the child would be released.
After negotiations, the family reportedly paid ₦17 million to secure the boy’s release.
Following the report, police operatives commenced an investigation and, through intelligence gathering, tracked down six members of the syndicate on Friday.
The arrested suspects were identified as Nura Aliyu, 39; Abubakar Aminu, 37; Ibrahim Muhammad, 51; Iliyasu Sani, 51; Abubakar Muhammad, 27; and Abdullahi Isma’il, 30.
The police described Nura Aliyu as the alleged mastermind of the kidnap operation and a neighbour of the victim’s family.
The statement said the suspects confessed during the investigation and named another accomplice, identified simply as Abdul, who is still at large.
The command said efforts had been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspect and ensure that all persons connected with the abduction face prosecution.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that items recovered from the suspects included a Peugeot 307, a Boxer motorcycle, and ₦7.5m, suspected to be part of the ransom proceeds.
Reacting to the operation, the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar Fage, commended the operatives for their swift response and professionalism.
Fage said the success of the operation showed the command’s renewed commitment to tackling kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across the state.
He also assured residents that the police would continue to strengthen intelligence gathering and operational response to protect lives and property.
The commissioner urged members of the public to continue supporting the command with useful and timely information that could assist security agencies in tracking criminal elements in the state.