Nigeria’s security agencies have recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against violent crime following the arrest of two men described by police as high-profile banditry and kidnapping masterminds operating across multiple states.
The suspects, according to law enforcement authorities, are believed to have coordinated a network responsible for abductions, armed attacks, and weapons trafficking that has unsettled communities in parts of the North and North-Central regions.
In a statement released by the Nigeria Police Force, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department’s Intelligence Response Team, working in synergy with the Kwara State Police Command, carried out a covert operation that led to the arrests.
The operation was executed along the Komen–Masallaci axis of Kaiama Local Government Area in Kwara State, following weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance, police sources disclosed.
Those taken into custody were identified as Abubakar Usman, popularly known as Siddi, aged 26, and Shehu Mohammadu, also called Gide, aged 30. Both were apprehended without incident inside Komen–Masallaci village.
Police operatives recovered several items during the raid, including a red Honda Ace 125 motorcycle, which investigators said was recently purchased with proceeds from ransom payments.
Confirming the development, a senior police officer involved in the operation said, “This arrest dismantles a key layer of a criminal structure that has been funding violence and fear across state lines.”
In addition to the motorcycle, officers recovered ₦500,000 in cash believed to be part of ransom funds yet to be distributed, as well as an AK-47 rifle loaded with 20 rounds of live ammunition.
Preliminary investigations, police noted, linked the suspects to coordinated kidnapping operations and armed attacks in Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, and Kwara states, where several communities have endured persistent insecurity.
Moreover, investigators revealed that the duo allegedly played a role in supplying firearms and ammunition to other criminal groups, thereby expanding the reach and lethality of bandit networks.
Police authorities also confirmed that Abubakar Usman was recently identified as the individual featured in a viral social media video, where firearms and large sums of cash were openly displayed.
“The suspects are cooperating fully and have begun providing actionable intelligence that will lead us to other members of the syndicate,” a police spokesperson said, adding that further arrests are imminent.
Reacting to the success of the operation, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun commended the officers for what he described as “professional conduct, discipline, and intelligence-driven policing.”
He further assured Nigerians that the police remain committed to dismantling organised criminal networks and restoring confidence in public safety nationwide.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force appealed to citizens to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information, stressing that community cooperation remains critical to sustaining recent gains against banditry and kidnapping.