The Katsina Police Command has arrested an Aide to Governor Dikko Radda, Nura Aliyu for allegedly leading a kidnap gang involved in the abduction of an eight-year-old schoolboy and the collection of N17 million ransom.
Aliyu who is the immediate past Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Development , Nura Aliyu was arrested alongside five other members of the syndicate in Katsina metropolis.
A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, said another accomplice remains at large.
According to the statement, the victim was abducted on May 13, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m. while returning from an Islamic school.
The police said the suspects contacted the victim’s family and initially demanded N50 million ransom before negotiations led to the payment of N17 million to secure the boy’s release.
The statement added that operatives of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) swung into action immediately after receiving the report.
“Acting on credible intelligence, operatives tracked and arrested six members of the syndicate today, May 23, 2026,” the statement said.
Those arrested were identified as Nura Aliyu, 39, who was 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.
Items recovered from the suspects’ hideout included N7.5 million cash, a Peugeot 307 car, and a motorcycle.
According to the police, the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation and identified another gang member, simply identified as Abdul, as being on the run.
The Command said the suspects would be charged to court, while efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing accomplice.
The police also reassured residents of the state of their commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes.
