15/06/2026
Police Bust Kidnappers’ Hideout on Niger–Kaduna–FCT Border, Arrest Four Suspects
Security operatives have dismantled a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in the Paze–Byazhin mountains along the border linking Niger State, Kaduna State, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leading to the arrest of four suspects.
The operation was led by the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, who coordinated a joint security team to raid the location believed to have been used by criminal elements as a base for planning and executing attacks.
The suspects arrested during the operation were identified as Yahaya Abdullahi, Muhammed Yunusa, Shamsudeen Mustapha, and Hauwa Shafiu. Preliminary investigations indicate that the hideout served as a strategic meeting point for members of a kidnapping syndicate operating within the region.
Security sources disclosed that Hauwa Shafiu, alleged to have provided logistical support to the group by preparing meals for its members, was pregnant at the time of her arrest. She reportedly delivered a healthy baby while in custody and is receiving medical care alongside the child.
During the raid, security personnel destroyed camps and structures used by the suspects, effectively disrupting activities at the location.
Authorities said investigations are continuing as security agencies intensify efforts to apprehend other members of the criminal network who remain at large.
