Police Arrest Three Suspected Kidnappers, Rescue Two Victims in Katsina
Police said three suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Dutsin-Ma, while two women were rescued during a separate operation in Kankia.
The Katsina State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate and rescued two women who were reportedly abducted in separate operations across the state. The command said the arrests took place in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area, while the rescue operation occurred in Kankia Local Government Area. The development was disclosed by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, in a statement issued on September 16, 2026.
According to the police, operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit arrested Sani Dikko, 22, Kabir Sani, 22, and Salisu Bello, 22, during a confidence-building patrol at Marabar Shema Village in Dutsin-Ma on September 12. Police said preliminary investigations linked the suspects to the alleged abduction of an elderly man identified as Alhaji Lawal. The command further alleged that Dikko confessed to conspiring with the other suspects to abduct the man, who was reportedly held for 16 days before his family paid a ransom for his release.
The police said the arrests followed credible intelligence received by the command. Investigators are reportedly examining the suspects’ alleged roles and working to determine whether they are connected to other kidnapping incidents in the area. The suspects remain in police custody while the investigation continues, and the allegations against them will be subject to the legal process.
In a separate incident in Kankia, police said two women were abducted during an attack on Sha’iskawa Fulani Village. The victims were identified as 45-year-old Assubi Rabe and 27-year-old Rabi Isyaku. Following a distress call, police operatives were deployed to the area and confronted the attackers, causing them to retreat and allowing officers to rescue both women. Police said the victims were rescued unharmed.
The Katsina Police Command said the operations form part of its continuing efforts to tackle kidnapping and banditry across the state. Commissioner of Police Ali Umar Fage commended the officers involved and urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information to security agencies. The command said investigations into the arrested suspects and efforts to identify other persons allegedly connected to the criminal activities are ongoing.
