The Kaduna State Police Command has achieved a major victory in its ongoing campaign against kidnapping and banditry, arresting twenty-six suspected kidnappers and recovering locally made firearms, dangerous weapons, and ransom money in a series of coordinated operations across the state. The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, said in a statement on Thursday that the raids were carried out between October 3 and 5, 2025, by police operatives working closely with the Kaduna Vigilance Service. The operations targeted some of the most notorious kidnapping gangs operating in the Anchau, Ikara, and Makarfi Local Government Areas, as part of efforts to rid the state of violent criminal groups.
According to the police, the first operation took place on October 5 when patrol teams from the Anchau Division, acting on credible intelligence, stormed a suspected kidnappers’ hideout around 1:15 a.m. and apprehended six men, among them 21-year-old Jibrin Abubakar, popularly known as Oga. Investigations later revealed that the group had kidnapped a 60-year-old man, Idris Adamu, on September 22, 2025, and held him hostage for several days before releasing him after collecting a ransom of ₦5 million. During the raid, two suspects identified as Yunusa Iliya, aged 31, and Malam Iliya, aged 55, both residents of Gidan Sidi Village, were arrested after a short exchange of gunfire with the police, while two others managed to escape. Items recovered from the scene included two locally made pump-action guns, five spent cartridges, several charms, and ₦546,000 in cash believed to be part of the ransom collected from the victim’s family.
In a separate operation on October 3, the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested one Habibu Alhaji Ahmadu, also known as Munyaye, in the Ikara Local Government Area. The suspect was caught with two locally made revolver rifles and reportedly confessed to leading a previous armed attack on a businessman’s home in the area. Preliminary findings, according to the police, showed that Ahmadu belongs to a notorious gang responsible for several violent attacks in Ikara and surrounding communities. His accomplices, identified as Buhari and Shede, are still at large, and security operatives have launched a manhunt to capture them and recover additional weapons connected to their activities.
Another major breakthrough was recorded on October 4 when officers, acting on intelligence from a recently freed kidnap victim, raided criminal hideouts in Gazara Village, Makarfi Local Government Area. Fourteen suspects were arrested in the operation, including one Bello Umar, who had previously been charged with kidnapping. Several dangerous weapons, including cutlasses, were recovered from the hideout. The police also confirmed that three more suspects were later arrested near the Toll Gate area for their involvement in the same criminal network, bringing the total number of suspects in custody to twenty-six. All the arrested individuals are currently being interrogated as investigations continue to expose their wider network and identify other collaborators still at large.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, commended the officers involved in the operations for their bravery, professionalism, and resilience, describing the arrests as a major success in the state’s ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and violent crime. He assured residents that the Command would continue to intensify intelligence-driven policing, strengthen collaboration with local communities, and ensure that criminal elements are brought to justice. “Kaduna must never be a safe haven for kidnappers or bandits,” the Commissioner declared, emphasizing the Command’s commitment to sustaining the momentum against criminality. He further urged members of the public to continue sharing credible and timely information that could help the police prevent crimes and enhance security across the state.