The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 30 individuals suspected of involvement in kidnapping, following a series of coordinated operations conducted across the state in April 2026.
Authorities also reported the recovery of firearms, ammunition, stolen vehicles, and illegal drugs during the crackdown.
Addressing journalists on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, stated that the command’s monthly security operations led to the apprehension of four suspected gunrunners and six persons allegedly linked to a car theft syndicate.
He added that operatives recovered five firearms, including an anti-riot gun, along with ammunition and several stolen vehicles.
Muhammad further revealed that a seven-year-old boy abducted in Anchau, Kubau Local Government Area, had been successfully rescued.
The child was reportedly kidnapped while returning from school, with the abductors demanding a ransom of N40 million and issuing threats against his life.
The police chief explained that officers from the Anchau Division promptly initiated a rescue operation, leading to the safe recovery of the victim in Maigana, Soba Local Government Area.
In a separate incident, the commissioner disclosed that security personnel recovered an AK-47 rifle and ammunition along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway near the tollgate after a confrontation with suspected bandits.
He also noted that at the Kawo Flyover, officers retrieved a 37/38mm anti-riot gun, along with two short-range shells and one long-range shell, which were reportedly abandoned by a suspect who fled into a nearby cemetery upon noticing the police.
Additionally, a 45-year-old man was arrested in Kurmin Zaki in possession of a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle.
On vehicle theft, Muhammad confirmed the arrest of three suspects believed to be members of a syndicate operating across Kaduna, Kano, and Katsina states. Another individual was apprehended with a stolen Toyota Corolla and a Hyundai vehicle.
He added that a separate Toyota Corolla, which had been tracked from Kaduna to Katsina State, was recovered, with one suspect taken into custody in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, in Zaria, police operatives intercepted a suspect during a surveillance operation and recovered 44 wraps of suspected cannabis concealed in a sack.
The commissioner stated that investigations are ongoing to establish whether the suspect is part of a wider drug trafficking network operating within or outside the state.
