The Niger State Police Command has arrested six suspects over alleged criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, threats to commit kidnapping and abetment, following the dismantling of a suspected kidnapping syndicate operating across parts of Niger and neighbouring states.
The Command said the syndicate operated along the Suleja and Kontagora corridors, with alleged links extending to Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.
Police identified the suspects as Amira Yusuf Aliyu, 23, of Kano State; Abdullahi Garba, also known as “Zidane,” 40, of Sokoto State; Ibrahim Mohammed Kote, 37, of Kano State; Maijida Abubakar Yusuf, 26, of Kano State; Abdullahi Sani, also known as “Samaila Atulu,” 40, of Zamfara State; and Bello Shehu, 22, of Sokoto State.
According to the Niger State Police Command, investigations revealed that the suspected syndicate allegedly used private vehicles to lure unsuspecting victims under the guise of offering them assistance or transportation before taking them to hideouts in neighbouring states.
The case was reported to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Minna, on May 14, 2026, following the alleged abduction of a woman and her baby in Suleja.
Police said the victim was allegedly abducted on February 7, 2026, while on her way to the market. Two days later, her relatives reportedly received a call from an unknown number demanding a ₦50 million ransom.
The family was said to have raised ₦9.5 million, which was allegedly paid in instalments into three different bank accounts. However, the victim was reportedly not released and was allegedly threatened with death before she eventually escaped, leaving behind personal belongings, including her telephone and ATM card.
The police said the investigation later uncovered allegations that the victim’s abandoned banking details were subsequently exploited in connection with ransom demands involving another woman allegedly abducted from Shagari in Sokoto State while travelling to visit her husband in Kontagora.
Following an analysis of the bank accounts through which ransom payments were allegedly made, detectives arrested Amira Yusuf Aliyu in Kano State on July 2, 2026.
During interrogation, police said Aliyu claimed that she had been deceived and abducted by the alleged leader of the syndicate, identified as Mustapha Yusuf, who remains at large. She alleged that the suspect used her account details to demand ransom from her family.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Abdullahi Garba on July 26. Police said he was arrested at a residence where Amira was allegedly held after her abduction.
Garba was said to have admitted knowledge of the incident but claimed that he had been deceived into believing that Amira was the fiancée of the suspected syndicate leader.
The police subsequently arrested Ibrahim Mohammed Kote and Maijida Abubakar Yusuf on August 7 and August 10, respectively.
Investigators alleged that Maijida, identified as the wife of the suspected kingpin, was a member of the syndicate and that her bank account was used to receive ransom payments from victims. Police said she allegedly confessed that proceeds from the criminal activities were used to purchase a Honda Civic vehicle, renovate her residence and acquire household items.
In another breakthrough, police arrested Abdullahi Sani, alias “Samaila Atulu,” in Zaria on August 19, 2026. Assorted charms were reportedly recovered from him during a search.
Police alleged that Sani confessed to using the charms to defraud members of the public under the guise of providing spiritual assistance and to arranging with the suspected kingpin for some clients to be kidnapped.
The Command said one of the victims later identified him during an identification parade as one of the persons allegedly involved in the abduction of her and her baby in Suleja.
Another suspect, Bello Shehu, was arrested in connection with the disappearance of the second victim from Shagari, Sokoto State. Police alleged that he provided information about the victim’s whereabouts to the suspected syndicate leader.
The Command said efforts were ongoing to arrest the alleged kingpin, Mustapha Yusuf, and two other suspects identified only as “Jafar” and “Fatima.”
The six suspects are currently in police custody as investigations continue, while the police said the case would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
The Niger State Police Command, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling criminal networks and bringing perpetrators of kidnapping and other violent crimes to justice.
The Command also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide credible information that could assist security agencies in combating crime and criminality across the state.
