The Katsina State Police Command said it has dislodged a seven-man kidnapping syndicate allegedly responsible for the abduction of an eight-year-old boy in Katsina metropolis, and recovered N7.5m suspected to be part of ransom paid by the victim’s family.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

According to him, six members of the gang were arrested by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit, while one suspect identified simply as Abdul is still at large.

The statement read, “Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command, under the leadership of CP Ali Umar Fage, psc(+), mnips, have successfully busted a 7-man kidnapping syndicate responsible for the kidnapping of an 8-year-old boy in Katsina Metropolis.

“On 13th May, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m., the victim (name withheld) was kidnapped while returning from an Islamic school. Later, the following day, the suspects contacted the family and demanded ₦50,000,000 ransom. Following negotiations, ₦17,000,000 was paid to secure the release of the victim.

“Upon receipt of the report, operatives of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) of the command swung into action. Acting on credible intelligence, operatives tracked and arrested 6 members of the syndicate today, May 23rd, 2026.”

He listed those arrested as Nura Aliyu (39), described as 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).

“While interrogating the suspects, they confessed to the commission of the offence and mentioned one Abdul, currently at large, as their accomplice. A manhunt is ongoing for the fleeing suspect.

“During the investigation, 1 Peugeot 307, 1 Boxer motorcycle, and a cash sum of ₦7,500,000, being part of the ransom money, were recovered from the suspects as exhibits, among others,” the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar Fage, commended the operatives for the operation and assured residents of continued efforts to tackle kidnapping and violent crime in the state.

(LEADERSHIP)

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