Police Arrest Family Friend, Three Others Over Alleged N30m Kidnap Threat
The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested four suspects, including a family friend of a resident, for allegedly conspiring to threaten the victim with kidnapping unless he paid a ransom of N30 million.
The Command’s spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed the arrests in a statement issued on Sunday, July 6, 2026, saying the suspects were apprehended following a complaint lodged by Alhaji Aminu Garba, a resident of Jega town.
According to the Police, Garba reported receiving a series of anonymous telephone calls from unknown persons demanding N30 million, with threats that he would be kidnapped if he failed to comply.
Preliminary investigations revealed that three of the suspects allegedly purchased a new SIM card specifically to execute the extortion plot. One of them reportedly disguised his voice to sound like a Fulani man in an attempt to create fear and conceal his identity.
The Police identified the suspects as Muhammad Shafiu (21), Mansur Ibrahim (21), Aliyu Umar (25), and Muhammad Suleiman (23).
Investigators further discovered that the fourth suspect, who was described as a close family friend of the victim, allegedly supplied Garba’s phone number and confidential family information, which the group used to facilitate the threatening calls.
Acting on intelligence, operatives of the Kebbi State Police Command tracked the suspects to Gumbin Kure and Gamjeji villages in Maiyama Local Government Area, where they were arrested before the alleged kidnap plan could be carried out.
The Police said the suspects are being investigated for criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation through anonymous communication, and alleged threats to kidnap for ransom.
Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, CP Umar M. Hadejia, directed that the case be thoroughly investigated and that all those involved be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He reiterated the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the state, warning that anyone involved in kidnapping, extortion, or related criminal activities would face the full weight of the law.
The Command also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious phone calls, movements, or activities to the nearest police station or through its emergency lines, assuring the public that all information received would be treated with strict confidentiality.
