The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man, Aminu Ahmed, for allegedly abducting three young children and collecting over N2 million in ransom in Kontagora.
The suspect was arrested by operatives of the Special Task Squad of the command following intelligence reports linking him to a series of child abductions in the area.
Confirming the arrest on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said investigations showed that Ahmed had been involved in multiple kidnapping cases since early 2025.
According to Abiodun, the suspect’s first known crime occurred in January 2025, when he allegedly abducted a three-year-old boy from the Samaru area of Kontagora.
“He took the child to Lagos, where he kept him for four days and contacted the father, demanding a ransom of N10 million,” the police spokesman said.
He added, “He eventually received N1.4 million through several POS transactions. After collecting the money, he abandoned the boy near a radio station in Kontagora, pretending the child was a found boy, and then escaped.”
Abiodun said the suspect struck again in May 2025, when he allegedly kidnapped a four-year-old boy within Kontagora and took him to Lagos.
“He demanded N10 million ransom from the family. He received N500,000 and later dropped the child at a location in Mashegu Local Government Area, informing the parents where to pick him up,” he said.
The police spokesman disclosed that the latest incident happened in November 2025, when Ahmed allegedly abducted another three-year-old boy from the GRA area of Kontagora.
“He took the child to Ilorin, Kwara State, stayed for three days, and demanded a ransom of N5 million. He received N350,000 before dropping the boy at Kaboji in Mashegu LGA,” Abiodun stated.
He further revealed that the suspect confessed to losing over N1.8 million from the ransom money in a failed mining investment.
The police said the suspect is currently in custody and undergoing further investigation, as efforts are being made to uncover other possible crimes linked to him and ensure he is prosecuted accordingly.
