In a determined crackdown on criminal activities, the Nigeria Police Force has arrested 22 individuals suspected of being involved in kidnapping and arms trafficking across several states, following a series of coordinated operations based on actionable intelligence. According to the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, the arrests underscore the Police’s ongoing efforts to maintain public safety and dismantle criminal networks across the country.
One of the major breakthroughs occurred on April 25, 2025, when operatives from the Force Intelligence Department’s Special Tactical Squad (FID-STS), in collaboration with Taraba State Police, local hunters, and vigilantes, apprehended four suspects in Mararaban Abbare, Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State. These individuals—Shehu Ibrahim, Abdullahi Haruna, Yusuf Bello, and Mohammed Bako—were reportedly planning a kidnapping operation and were found with a cache of weapons including two AK-49 rifles, one AK-47 rifle, six magazines, and 45 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
Before this arrest, police operatives had already gathered intelligence on a kidnapping syndicate operating across Taraba, Adamawa, Gombe, Plateau, Bauchi, and Kaduna States. A raid on their hideout led to the arrest of five additional suspects, namely Sulaiman Mohammed, Tijjani Bello, Muhammed Umar, Adamu Ibrahim, Solomon Nathaniel, and Haruna Adamu, along with the recovery of several rifles and magazines.
On April 17, 2025, police in Kaduna apprehended Isa Ibrahim, a suspected kidnapper attempting to establish a new criminal gang after his associates were previously arrested in Kwara State. That same day, two more suspects—Sani Liman and Murtala Magaji—were arrested in Lamido village, Lere LGA, and confessed to participating in multiple kidnapping incidents.
The following day, April 18, officers arrested two alleged arms dealers, Bajo Badun and Magaji Abdullahi, who were found with two locally-made AK-47 rifles. Additionally, a man named Ishiyaku Ali was intercepted on the Kauru-Pambegua Road in possession of two fabricated rifles and a metal chain hidden in a sack.
All suspects are expected to be charged to court following the conclusion of ongoing investigations. Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, praised the efforts of the officers involved and reaffirmed the Force’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property. He also encouraged the public to assist by providing reliable and timely intelligence.