The Niger State Police Command has arrested six suspected members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate allegedly operating along the Suleja and Kontagora axes, with links to Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.
The suspects were identified as Amira Yusuf, 23, from Kano State; Abdullahi Garba, 40, from Sokoto State; Ibrahim Mohammed, 37, from Kano State; Maijida Abubakar, 26, from Kano State; Abdullahi Sani, 40, from Zamfara State; and Bello Shehu, 22, from Sokoto State.
The command said the syndicate used private vehicles to lure unsuspecting victims under the guise of offering them lifts before allegedly drugging and abducting them to hideouts in neighbouring states.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the investigation began after a case of criminal conspiracy and suspected kidnapping was reported at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Minna, on May 14, 2026.
The police said the case involved a woman and her infant who were allegedly abducted by unknown gunmen in Suleja on February 7, 2026, while the woman was on her way to the market.
Two days after the abduction, the victim’s relatives reportedly received a call from an unknown number demanding N50 million ransom for her release.
The relatives allegedly raised N9.5 million, which was paid in instalments into three different bank accounts bearing different names. Despite the payment, the victim was not released and the abductors allegedly threatened to kill her.
The victim eventually managed to escape, leaving behind personal belongings, including her mobile phone and ATM card.
Police said the suspects subsequently exploited the abandoned banking details to demand N10.5 million ransom from another woman who was abducted in Shagari, Sokoto State, while travelling to visit her husband in the Kontagora area of Niger State.
Following the report, detectives from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit commenced an investigation and analysed the bank accounts through which ransom payments had allegedly been made.
The investigation led to the arrest of Amira Yusuf Aliyu, 23, in Kano State on July 2.
During interrogation, police said Amira claimed she had been deceived by one Mustapha Yusuf, the alleged leader of the syndicate who is currently at large.
According to the police, Amira alleged that Mustapha lured her to Sokoto under the pretext of introducing her to his family ahead of marriage, but subsequently abducted her and used her bank account details to demand ransom from her parents.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Abdullahi Garba, also known as Zidane, 40, of Sokoto State, on July 26.
Garba was reportedly arrested at the residence where Amira was allegedly held following her abduction.
The police said Garba admitted knowledge of the incident but claimed that Mustapha had also deceived him into believing that Amira was his fiancée and allegedly used his phone to communicate with her parents without his knowledge.
The investigation also resulted in the arrests of Ibrahim Mohammed Kote, 37, and Maijida Abubakar Yusuf, 26, both from Kano State, on August 7 and 10 respectively.
Police said findings showed that Ibrahim was the brother-in-law of the alleged kingpin and had stood as surety for Mustapha when he was arrested and detained by another security agency in Kano.
Maijida, who police identified as Mustapha’s wife and an alleged member of the syndicate, was also accused of allowing her bank account to be used to receive several ransom payments.
According to the police, Maijida confessed to receiving ransom payments and allegedly disclosed that proceeds from the criminal activities were used to purchase a Honda Civic vehicle, renovate her room and acquire household items.
Another alleged senior member of the syndicate, Abdullahi Sani, also known as Samaila Atulu, 40, from Zamfara State, was arrested in Zaria on August 19.
The police said assorted charms were recovered from Sani during a search.
During interrogation, Sani allegedly confessed to using the charms to defraud members of the public under the guise of providing spiritual assistance.
He also allegedly admitted arranging with Mustapha for some of his clients to be kidnapped.
Police said Sani was later identified during an identification parade at the command headquarters by one of the victims, who pointed to him as one of those allegedly involved in the abduction of her and her baby in Suleja.
The sixth suspect, Bello Shehu, 22, of Gangam Village in Shagari Local Government Area of Sokoto State, was arrested in connection with the disappearance of the second victim.
Police said Shehu was reasonably suspected of providing information about the victim’s whereabouts to Mustapha, whom he allegedly knew.
The command said investigations had so far led to the arrest of the six suspects, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend Mustapha Yusuf, identified as the alleged leader of the syndicate, and two other members known as Jafar and Fatima.
The suspects are currently in police custody and undergoing further investigation and interrogation.
The police said the investigation would continue until all relevant evidence was recovered, after which the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.
The command assured residents of its commitment to dismantling criminal networks and protecting lives and property across the state.
It also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist security agencies in tracking down kidnappers and other violent criminals.
