The Niger State Police Command has arrested two suspected kidnappers and recovered N1,045,200 suspected to be part of ransom payment.
The spokesperson of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
According to the PPRO, the suspects, Aliyu Bodo, 23, and Tukur Ali, 22, were arrested during a joint rescue operation in a forest around Tanangi village via Kasanga in Mashegu Local Government Area.
The operation was carried out on August 14 by joint security teams and local vigilantes following a kidnapping incident in the area.
Abiodun said six victims were rescued during the operation, while a search of the area led to the recovery of two empty AK-47 magazines, 10 Android phones belonging to the victims, five keypad phones, a National Identification Number (NIN) slip, a brown bag and N1,045,200 cash.
“On 17th August, 2026 at about 5:30pm, a case of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping was transferred from the DSS office to the Police Command, and it was referred to the Anti-kidnapping Unit, SCID Minna, for further investigation,” the statement read.
“The report of this case indicated that on 14th August, 2026, joint security teams and local vigilante members, acting on credible information conducted a joint rescue operation around Tanangi village forest via Kasanga, Mashegu LGA following a kidnapping incident in the area and the following suspects were arrested; Aliyu Muhammad Bodo 23yrs of Dutsen-gogo via Babana, N/Bussa and Tukur Hassan Ali, 22yrs of Bode-Saadu, Kwara State.”
Items recovered during the operation include:
- Two empty AK-47 magazines
- Ten Android phones belonging to victims
- Five keypad phones
- One NIN slip
- One brown bag
- N1,045,200 cash, said to be their share of ransom collected
In the course of interrogation, the suspects confessed to conspiring with other members of their gang identified as Smallie, Tashaka, Dan-Sarki and Turo, who are currently at large, to kidnap ten victims along Tegina-Makera road and obtained N14 million ransom.
They also confessed to possessing one AK-47 rifle and three pump-action rifles currently in the possession of their accomplices, which they use for their operations.
Abiodun added that the suspects were identified by some of the rescued victims during an identification parade at the SCID, Minna.
“The suspects are undergoing further interrogation to aid in the arrest of their gang members after which they will be charged to court for prosecution,” he said.
