Police arrest six, rescue kidnap victims in Kaduna

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested six suspected kidnappers and rescued several victims in Kaduna State following a targeted operation by its Force Intelligence Department Special Tactical Squad.

Force Public Relations Officer Anthony Okon Placide, in a statement on Tuesday, said the suspects were apprehended on April 3, 2026.

Those arrested are Yusuf Shuaibu, 23; Abubakar Bature, 19; Yau Murtala; Bello Suleiman, 19; Abdul Kareem Nuhu, 36; and Ahmed Musa, 28.

Preliminary investigations established that the suspects are members of a kidnapping syndicate operating across Kaduna State and surrounding areas, with links to criminal camps in the Rijana Forest.

Among the group’s known operations was the abduction of a senior police officer and his son in October 2025. The syndicate collected a ransom of N24 million and other valuables but refused to release the victims until police operatives intervened.

The officer’s son was rescued, while efforts to secure the release of the officer himself are ongoing.

The suspects were also linked to the kidnapping of a child and members of the same family, from whom N18 million was collected before police operations led to their rescue.

In total, the syndicate is believed to have extorted at least N42 million across its operations.

Police said investigations are continuing to track down fleeing members of the syndicate, rescue any remaining victims, and recover weapons used by the group.