The Nigeria Police Force has announced the rescue of a four-year-old girl who was the victim of a staged kidnapping in Katsina State, as part of recent breakthroughs in its ongoing efforts to combat crime across the country.
Police spokesperson ACP Muyiwa Adejobi disclosed that the case began with a complaint filed on February 20, 2025, by one Alhaji Badamasi Bala of Madaci Yan Nono Quarters.
According to the police, Bala reported the disappearance of his 14-year-old daughter and her four-year-old sister.
“Four months later, the older sister resurfaced and, upon further investigations, she confessed to staging the kidnapping and conspiring with three accomplices, aged 25, 19, and 16,” Adejobi said. The police confirmed that all suspects have been arrested and the younger child has been rescued unharmed.
In a separate operation in Nasarawa State, police operatives acting on intelligence intercepted an unregistered motorcycle along the Giza–Kadarko Road in Keana Local Government Area. The rider abandoned the motorcycle and fled into a nearby bush upon sighting security operatives. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and 45 rounds of 7.62x39mm live ammunition. The suspect remains at large as efforts to apprehend him continue.
Also on June 13, a joint security team carried out a coordinated raid on Kankare and Zurkuda villages in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State. Seven individuals suspected of being part of a financial crime syndicate were arrested.
Items recovered from the suspects include $46,100 in counterfeit U.S. currency, four point-of-sale (POS) machines, 13 Android smartphones, 29 keypad phones, six power banks, two vehicle plate numbers, and several documents believed to be linked to electronic fraud. The suspects are currently in police custody and are being investigated.
“These coordinated operations reflect the Nigeria Police Force’s resolve to combat all forms of criminality through proactive measures, intelligence gathering, and community partnership,” Adejobi stated.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, urged members of the public to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and to continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies.
