Police Arrest Suspected Kidnapper After Condolence Visit to Victim

P Police operatives in Niger State have arrested a suspected kidnapper in a dramatic twist after he reportedly paid a condolence visit to one of his victims in Kontagora Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect, Nasiru Isyaka, was apprehended following his alleged involvement in a deadly kidnapping attack on Sabon-Gari Mangu Matachibu village, where one person was killed and two others were abducted.

According to a statement issued over the weekend by the Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the incident occurred on December 29, 2024, when armed men invaded the village, shot a resident dead, and kidnapped two persons.

Police disclosed that the abducted victims were later rescued through a joint security operation involving relevant security agencies.

Isyaka, a resident of the same village, was arrested on January 17, 2025, when he reportedly visited the home of one of the rescued victims under the guise of a condolence visit. The victim, however, recognised him as one of the attackers and alerted the police.

“On January 17th, 2025 at about 10am, police operatives of ‘A’ Division, Kontagora, arrested one Nasiru Isyaka of Sabon-Gari Mangu Matachibu village via Kontagora,” Abiodun said.

He added that the suspect was arrested in connection with the kidnapping incident that occurred weeks earlier in the same community

“The suspect was arrested in connection with a kidnapping incident that occurred on December 29th, 2024 at the same village, where some armed men invaded the village, shot a victim dead and kidnapped two others, but were later rescued through a joint security effort,” the statement read.

The police spokesperson further revealed that during preliminary investigation, Isyaka was identified by one of the victims as a member of the kidnapping gang.

“In the course of preliminary investigation, the suspect was arrested when he visited one of the victims in his home, and he was identified to be one of the kidnappers,” Abiodun said.

Police also recovered one locally made short gun from the suspect, who reportedly confessed to the crime. Investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang, while the suspect is expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.