By Adesakin Adefemi
The Nigeria Police Force announced a major breakthrough on Friday, 19 December 2025, with the arrest of two high‑profile bandits and kidnapping kingpins who have been terrorising communities across Katsina, Zamfara, Niger and Kwara states.
In a covert operation, officers from the Force Intelligence Department‑Intelligence Response Team (FID‑IRT) working with the Kwara State Police Command intercepted the suspects along the Komen‑Masallaci axis in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The two arrested men are *Abubakar Usman, alias “Siddi ‘m’”, 26, and Shehu Mohammadu*
alias “Gide ‘m’, 30. Both were apprehended in Komen‑Masallaci village, Kaiama LGA, at the time of the operation.
During the raid, police recovered a brand‑new. Honda Ace 125 motorcycle, red in colour, valued at ₦1,850,000. Investigations revealed that the bike was bought with ransom proceeds. They also seized ₦500,000 in cash, identified as unspent ransom money, and one AK‑47 rifle with a magazine loaded with 20 rounds of live ammunition
Preliminary interrogations confirm the suspects belong to a notorious banditry and kidnapping gang that operates in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kwara states. The gang is also known to supply arms and ammunition to other criminal elements in the region.
One of the arrested men, Abubakar Usman (Siddi), was recently featured in a viral video flaunting firearms and large sums of cash on social media, which helped police fast‑track his identification.
Both suspects are cooperating with investigators, providing information expected to lead to the capture of additional gang members and further weapon recoveries.
Inspector‑General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun,
PhD, NPM, praised the officers for their professionalism and dedication. He reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks, combating banditry and kidnapping, and safeguarding all citizens.
CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, anipr, mipra, Force Public Relations Officer, issued the statement from Force Headquarters, Abuja, urging the public to continue supporting the police with timely and credible information to aid ongoing security operations.
The Kwara State Police Command and FID‑IRT are coordinating follow‑up actions, including intelligence‑driven raids in neighbouring states, to neutralise the remaining members of the syndicate.
This operation underscores the Nigeria Police Force’s intensified efforts to curb cross‑border banditry and restore safety in affected regions. Authorities promise further updates as the investigation progresses.
