Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested four suspects for allegedly threatening to kidnap a resident of Jega town unless he paid a ransom of N30 million, in a case that exposed how a family friend allegedly supplied the victim's phone number and personal details to facilitate the extortion plot. The Command's spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, 6 July 2026, following a complaint lodged by the victim, Alhaji Aminu Garba of Jega town.
According to the police, the suspects targeted Garba by repeatedly calling him on a newly acquired phone number, threatening to kidnap him unless he paid the ransom. To intimidate the victim and conceal their identities, the suspects disguised their voices to sound like Fulani kidnappers during the phone calls. The investigation revealed that the first, second and third suspects—identified as Muhammad Shafiu, 21; Mansur Ibrahim, 21; and Aliyu Umar, 25—procured a new SIM card and repeatedly called the victim, with one of them disguising his voice.
The breakthrough in the case came when police investigations unmasked the fourth suspect, Muhammad Suleiman, 23, who was identified as a family friend of the victim. Suleiman allegedly supplied the victim's phone number and sensitive family details to the syndicate to facilitate the extortion and threats. Acting on credible intelligence, police operatives tracked down the suspects and arrested them at Gumbin Kure and Gamjeji villages in Maiyama Local Government Area of the state.
The police spokesperson said all the suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations. He also quoted the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Umar Hadejia, as ordering a thorough investigation into the case and assuring the public that the suspects would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The Commissioner of Police urged residents of Kebbi State to continue supporting the police by promptly reporting suspicious activities and criminal threats before they escalate.
The police command also called on residents to remain security-conscious and report any suspicious communications or activities through its emergency hotlines: 09039911876 and 07081074395, with the assurance that all information provided will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. The arrest of the four suspects, including a family friend of the victim, highlights the growing trend of kidnap-for-ransom plots orchestrated by individuals with inside knowledge of their targets. The case also underscores the importance of intelligence-led policing in thwarting criminal plots before they are executed, as the Kebbi State Police Command continues its efforts to protect lives and property across the state.
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