The Katsina State Police Command has dismantled a seven-man kidnapping syndicate allegedly responsible for the abduction of an eight-year-old boy in Katsina metropolis, recovering N7.5 million believed to be part of the ransom paid by the victim’s family.
The operation, carried out by operatives of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), led to the arrest of six suspects, while one identified simply as Abdul remains on the run.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, the child was abducted on May 13, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m. while returning home from an Islamic school in Katsina metropolis.
The kidnappers reportedly contacted the victim’s family a day later and demanded a ransom of N50 million for the boy’s release. After negotiations, the family allegedly paid N17 million before the child regained freedom.
Following the report of the abduction, police operatives launched an intelligence-driven investigation that led to the arrest of six suspects on Friday, May 22.
The suspects were identified as Nura Aliyu, 39, believed to be the mastermind and a neighbour to the victim’s family; Abubakar Aminu, 37; Ibrahim Muhammad, 51; Iliyasu Sani, 51; Abubakar Muhammad, 27; and Abdullahi Isma’il, 30.
Police said the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation and revealed that another accomplice, Abdul, is still at large.
Items recovered from the suspects include a Peugeot 307 vehicle, a Boxer motorcycle, and N7.5 million suspected to be part of the ransom proceeds.
Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar Fage, commended the operatives for the swift operation and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating kidnapping and violent crimes across the state.
