Katsina Police to Charge Neighbor and Five Others in Schoolboy Kidnapping

The Katsina State Police Command announced that it will bring a neighbour of a family and five other individuals to court for the kidnapping of an eight‑year‑old boy in Katsina metropolis.

Public Relations Officer Abubakar Aliyu made the statement on Sunday, explaining that the suspects were taken into custody by the newly formed Violent Crime Response Unit of the command.

Aliyu said the child was abducted on 13 May 2026 while returning from an Islamic school. The suspects later contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N50 million.

After negotiations, the family paid N17 million before the victim was released.

According to Aliyu, the unit launched an investigation following the incident and, based on credible intelligence, tracked and arrested six members of the syndicate on 23 May 2026.

The suspects were identified as Nura Aliyu (39), the alleged mastermind and neighbour of the victim’s family; Abubakar Aminu (37); Ibrahim Muhammad (51); Iliyasu Sani (51); Abubakar Muhammad (27); and Abdullahi Isma’il (30).

He added that the suspects confessed to the crime and named another accomplice who remains at large, while evidence was seized from them.

Items recovered include a Peugeot 307 vehicle, a Boxer motorcycle, and N7.5 million believed to be part of the ransom money.

The police spokesperson said the suspects will be charged and taken to court once the investigations are complete, and that efforts are continuing to apprehend the fleeing accomplice.

The state Commissioner of Police praised the operatives for the swift operation and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes in the state.