The Niger State Police Command has arrested six suspected members of a notorious kidnapping syndicate allegedly operating along the Suleja and Kontagora axes, with links to Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.
The spokesperson for the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement at the weekend said the syndicate used private vehicles to lure unsuspecting victims under the guise of offering them lifts before allegedly drugging and abducting them to hideouts in neighbouring states.
According to the PPRO, istigation began after a case of criminal conspiracy and suspected kidnapping was reported at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Minna, on May 14, 2026.
The police said the case involved a woman and her infant who were allegedly abducted by unknown gunmen in Suleja on February 7, 2026, while on her way to the market.
Two days after the abduction, the victim’s relatives reportedly received a call from an unknown number demanding N50 million ransom for her family.
Relatives allegedly raised N9.5 million, which was paid in instalments into three different bank accounts bearing different names.
Despite the payment, the victim was not released and the abductors allegedly threatened to k!ll her.
The victim eventually managed to escape, leaving behind personal belongings.
“In continuation of its sustained efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes, the Niger State Police Command has burst a notorious kidnapping syndicate operating along Suleja and Kontagora axis, with links extending to Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi States,” the statement read.
“The suspects arrested are; -Amira Yusuf 23yrs of Kano State -Abdullahi Garba 40yrs of Sokoto State -Ibrahim Mohammed 37yrs of Kano -Maijida Abubakar 26yrs of Kano -Abdullahi Sani 40yrs of Zamfara-Bello Shehu 22yrs of Sokoto State.
“Investigation revealed that the syndicate adopted a deceptive modus operandi, using private vehicles to lure unsuspecting victims under the guise of offering lift assistance, after which the victims would drugged and taken to hideouts in neighbouring states.
“On 14th May 2026, at about 2p.m, a case of criminal conspiracy and suspected kidnapping was reported at Anti-kidnapping Unit, SCID Minna and the report indicated that, on 7th February 2026, at about 7p.m, a female victim and her little baby were kidnapped by unknown hoodlums in Suleja while on her way to the market.
“Two days later, being 9th February 2026, at about 9:20p.m, a phone call was received by the relatives from a strange phone number demanding a ransom of fifty million naira to secure her release.
“The relatives sourced for funds and raised nine million, five hundred thousand naira which was paid to the abductors in installments into three different accounts bearing different names, but the victim was not released rather, they threatened to k!ll her.
“Fortunately, she managed to escape, leaving her personal belongings behind which include phone, ATM card and other items. It was later discovered that the hoodlums exploited the victim’s abandoned banking details to demand ransom of ten million, five hundred thousand naira from another woman abducted from Shagari, Sokoto State, while she was travelling to visit her husband in Kontagora area of Niger State.
“On receipt of the report, detectives from the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit immediately commenced intensive investigation and analysis of the accounts through which ransom payments were made and one Amira Yusuf Aliyu, 23yrs, of Kano State, was arrested on 2nd July 2026.
“During interrogation, she claimed that she was deceived by one Mustapha Yusuf, the suspected leader of the syndicate who is at large.
“She added that Mustapha lured her to Sokoto under the pretext of introducing her to his family with a promise of marriage, but subsequently abducted her and used her account details to demand ransom from her parents.
“Follow-up investigation led to the arrest of one Abdullahi Garba a.k.a. Zidane, 40yrs of Sokoto State on 26th July 2026, who was arrested at the residence where Amira was kept after her abduction.
“During interrogation, Abdullahi admitted knowledge of the incident but claimed that Mustapha had also deceived him into believing that Amira was his fiancée and had used his phone to communicate with her parents without his knowledge.
“Further investigative efforts led to the arrest of one Ibrahim Mohammed Kote 37yrs and Maijida Abubakar Yusuf 26yrs; both of Kano State on the 7th and 10th of August 2026 respectively.
“Findings revealed that Ibrahim is the brother-in-law of the suspected kingpin and had stood as a surety for him when Mustapha was arrested and detained by another security agency in Kano and Maijida was also identified as a member of the syndicate and wife of Mustapha.
“Her account was reportedly used to receive several ransom payments from victims which she confessed to, adding that proceeds from the criminal activities were used, among other things, to purchase a Honda Civic vehicle, renovate her room and acquire household items.
“Additionally, in a further breakthrough to the investigation, another top member of the syndicate, one Abdullahi Sani a.k.a. Samaila Atulu, 40yrs of Zamfara State, was also arrested in Zaria on 19th August 2026 and when searched, assorted charms were recovered in his posession.
“During interrogation, he confessed to using the charms to defraud members of the public under the guise of providing spiritual assistance and subsequently arranged with Mustapha for some of his clients to be kidnapped.
“He was later identified in the Police Command Headquarters during an identification parade by a victim, who pointed him as one of the persons involved in the abduction of her and her baby in Suleja.
“Following the disappearance of the second victim from Shagari, Sokoto State; another suspect, one Bello Shehu 22yrs, of Gangam Village, Shagari LGA, Sokoto State, was also arrested on reasonable suspicion of providing information about the victim’s whereabouts to Mustapha, with whom he was acquainted.
“The investigation has so far resulted in the arrest of the six suspects mentioned above, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the alleged syndicate leader, *”Mustapha Yusuf”* and two other members identified as *”Jafar”* and *”Fatima”*, who are currently at large.
“The suspects arrested are in police custody undergoing further investigation and interrogation as the Command intensifies efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects and recover other relevant evidence, after which the case will be charged to court for prosecution.
“The Police Command reassures members of the public of its commitment to dismantling criminal networks and protecting lives and property by bringing perpetrators of kidnapping and other violent crimes to justice.
“Members of the public are encouraged to remain vigilant and promptly provide credible information that may assist ongoing efforts to combat crime and criminality in the State.”
One hundred and thirty persons have been arrested after men of the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI raided a suspected fraud compound in Ghana and arrested more than 130 people.
The FBI Director, Kash Patel, disclosed this in a post shared on his official X account on Thursday.
Patel said the operation, codenamed “Operation Blackout”, was carried out in the week as part of the FBI’s efforts to dismantle global scam centres.
“OPERATION BLACKOUT: This is the FBI’s global scam-centre fraud demolition. Another takedown this week out of Ghana,” Patel wrote.
He said the operation had so far resulted in nearly $10m in identified losses, 89 victims identified, more than 130 individuals arrested or detained, including victims who would be repatriated to their home countries, and more than 300 devices seized.
“Investigation is ongoing. These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives – and this @FBI is crushing them in every corner of the world. More to come,” he said.
Patel also gave an update on the overall Operation Blackout figures, saying roughly $17bn had been seized, hundreds of alleged scammers arrested and thousands of trafficked workers freed.
He added that more than 10,000 Americans had been warned before losing their money, while an estimated $670m in losses had been prevented.
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a suspect, Adewale Arojah, identified as a prophet’s son, for allegedly impersonating a renowned cleric on Facebook and defrauding multiple victims of over N18m under the guise of offering prayers and spiritual assistance.
According to a statement by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, on Thursday, the arrest followed a complaint lodged on October 3, 2026, by Muyiwa Akogun, popularly known on Facebook as “Prophet Dr. Muyiwa Akogun”.
The command said Akogun alerted the police after members of the public complained about “fraudulent activities being perpetrated in his name through a duplicated Facebook profile.”
“Upon receipt of the complaint, the Divisional Police Officer, Ilaro Division, immediately detailed intelligence and detective operatives to track down the perpetrator,” the statement said.
It added that “through sustained technological monitoring and intelligence-led analysis, the suspect was tracked to a nearby village in Ajegunle, via the Ilaro/Ibogun axis, where he was successfully apprehended.”
The police said the suspect confessed during interrogation to impersonating the cleric on Facebook.
“During a rigorous interrogation, the suspect confessed to impersonating the real Prophet Akogun on Facebook.
“He admitted to using the cleric’s identity to deliver fake prophecies and offer prayer services to vulnerable individuals, thereby defrauding victims residing both within Nigeria and in the diaspora,” Babaseyi said.
The command said preliminary investigations showed that the suspect allegedly targeted people seeking spiritual assistance through the prophet’s Facebook page.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect systematically targeted victims seeking spiritual assistance on the said prophet’s Facebook page, gains their trust and swindled them of funds amounting to over ₦18 million,” it said.
The suspect has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The command said the investigation would be used to ascertain the extent of the crime, identify potential accomplices, and ensure possible prosecution.
The command said the arrest was part of its efforts to tackle online fraud and identity theft in the state.
“The swift arrest highlights the Ogun State Police Command’s resolve to dismantle online fraud networks, curb identity theft, and deny cybercriminals safe space to operate across the state,” Babaseyi said.
The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, Bode Ojajuni, commended the Ilaro operatives for what the statement described as their “vigilance, tactical discipline, and swift response”.
The CP also reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting residents from digital and physical threats.
The command advised members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with religious leaders and public figures on social media.
“The Command advises members of the public to exercise caution and due diligence when engaging with religious leaders or public figures on social media platforms,” the statement said.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has summoned heads of security agencies in the state to a meeting following a spike in security breaches, particularly recent killings involving rival cult groups in the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Samuel Ojo, disclosed this during an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, saying the meeting would be held on Wednesday.
Ojo said the meeting would deliberate on and address the killings by suspected cultists in the state.
He added that the meeting would also discuss measures to make forests in the state safer, in view of the recent killing of an ISWAP leader in Owo, Ondo State.
“We are holding a security meeting on Wednesday, by the special grace of God, to reassure our people and put our security agencies on their toes.
“What happened in Ondo is a lesson to those criminals hibernating in the forests.
We will not take it lightly with anyone using the forest as a hideout,” he said.
He further said, “Aside from that, we are also using the meeting to address the incessant killings by rival cult groups in the past weeks.
“We need to meet and discuss how to stop these killings by cult groups or any other violent crimes hiding under that canopy.”
The governor’s aide, who stressed the need to stop the killings to protect Osun’s corporate image, warned perpetrators of violent crimes to desist or face dire consequences.
“We need to stop it, so as not to give our state a bad name, because nobody knows what they are fighting for or why they are killing themselves,” Ojo said.
The PUNCH reports that two separate attacks by members of rival cult groups, which occurred in Osogbo, the state capital, between last Friday and Sunday, left two people dead and about five others injured.
In reaction to the latest cult attack, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Zungura, subsequently ordered tactical teams to raid suspected criminal hideouts in Osogbo.
