The Kaduna State Police Command says it has apprehended 26 suspected kidnappers and recovered several weapons, including locally made firearms and part of a ransom allegedly paid to abductors, following a series of coordinated security operations across the state.
According to the Command, the arrests were made during intelligence-led raids between October 3 and 5, 2025, targeting criminal hideouts in Anchau, Ikara, and Makarfi local government areas.
The operations were conducted in collaboration with the Kaduna Vigilance Service.
Police spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, who disclosed the development in a statement on Thursday, said the raids were part of a renewed effort to stamp out kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
Hassan noted that the first major breakthrough occurred on October 5 when a police patrol team acting on intelligence stormed a hideout in Anchau around 1:15 a.m., arresting six suspects, including a 21-year-old identified as Jibrin Abubakar, alias Oga.
“Findings showed that the suspects were responsible for the abduction of one Idris Adamu, aged 60, who was held captive for several days and released after a ransom of N5 million was paid,” Hassan explained.
During the operation, two other suspects, identified as Yunusa Iliya, 31, and Malam Iliya, 55, were captured after exchanging gunfire with security operatives, while two accomplices managed to flee.
Items recovered from the scene included two locally fabricated pump-action rifles, five empty cartridges, charms, and N546,000 believed to be part of the ransom collected from the victim’s family.
In a separate operation carried out on October 3, officers from the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested one Habibu Alhaji Ahmadu, also known as Munyaye, in Ikara Local Government Area.
The suspect was reportedly caught with two locally made revolver rifles and allegedly confessed to orchestrating a violent attack on the home of a businessman in the area.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that Ahmadu is linked to a notorious gang that has been terrorising Ikara and neighbouring communities.
Efforts are ongoing to apprehend his associates, identified as Buhari and Shede, who are currently on the run,” Hassan said.
The police also achieved another significant breakthrough on October 4, following intelligence shared by a recently freed kidnapping victim.
Operatives raided a hideout in Gazara Village, Makarfi Local Government Area, where 14 suspects, including a known offender, Bello Umar, were arrested. Several cutlasses and other weapons were seized during the operation.
Three additional suspects were later nabbed at the Toll Gate axis for their alleged involvement with the same criminal syndicate.
All suspects, according to police, are currently in custody as investigations continue.
Commissioner of Police, CP Rabiu Muhammad, lauded the operatives for their courage and professionalism, describing the coordinated arrests as a “major stride in the ongoing fight against insecurity in Kaduna.”
He assured residents that the Command would sustain its offensive against criminals through intelligence-led policing and community collaboration.
“Our message is clear: there will be no hiding place for kidnappers or bandits in Kaduna. We are determined to make this state uninhabitable for those who choose crime as a way of life,” the Commissioner said.
Muhammad further urged residents to support security agencies by providing credible information that could help prevent further attacks and ensure lasting peace across the state.