The Kano State Police Command has arrested a 35-year-old man allegedly involved in kidnapping, armed robbery and cattle rustling across Kano, Katsina and Kaduna states.
The command also recovered a cine-camera drone during separate clearance operations in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori.
Kiyawa said the arrest of the suspected kidnapper followed credible intelligence received by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad.
He said the operation was conducted on September 14, 2026, at about 4:48pm, as part of sustained interstate handshake patrols and clearance operations along the Kano-Kaduna and Kano-Katsina borders.
According to the police, the suspect, identified as Habibu Bello, 35, is from Kunkumi Town in Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The command described Bello as a suspected member of a criminal syndicate allegedly specialising in kidnapping, armed robbery and cattle rustling across the three states.
Kiyawa said further investigation following Bello’s arrest led to the arrest of another alleged member of the syndicate identified as Mudam, from Kwanar Dangora.
The police spokesman said the investigation also uncovered information linking the suspects to previous kidnapping incidents and cattle rustling activities.
According to the command, Bello allegedly confessed to several kidnapping incidents, including the abduction of a woman identified as Hajiya Binta of Kwanar Dangora.
The police said a ransom of N20m was allegedly paid in connection with the abduction.
The suspect was also alleged to have confessed to the kidnapping of a household in Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano State and the collection of ransom, among other offences.
The command further alleged that the suspect was involved in cattle rustling activities across Kano, Kaduna and Katsina states.
Police said investigations were ongoing, while efforts had been intensified to arrest other alleged members of the syndicate and recover their operational weapons.
In a separate development, police operatives recovered a cine-camera drone during clearance operations in Bebeji Local Government Area.
The command said the drone, marked GT 50, was recovered at Hawan Tarau Village on September 17, 2026, at about 2pm.
According to the statement, the drone was found lying on the ground in the area during the clearance operation.
The police said efforts were being intensified to establish the source of the drone and identify its owner.
The latest operations form part of the Kano State Police Command’s efforts to strengthen security along the state’s borders with neighbouring states and prevent criminal groups from exploiting inter-state routes and remote areas as operational bases.
The command said the operations were being conducted in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on sustained interstate handshake patrols and clearance operations.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the officers involved in the operations and pledged to sustain the clearance operations in collaboration with neighbouring police commands.
According to the statement, the commissioner reiterated the command’s determination to deny criminal elements safe havens within Kano and along the state’s borders.
Bakori also appreciated residents of Kano State for their continued support and cooperation with the police.
The command urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station.
The police provided emergency contact numbers for residents to report security-related information: 08032419754, 08123821575 and 09029292926.
The command said cooperation between residents and security agencies remained important to the success of ongoing efforts to disrupt kidnapping, cattle rustling, armed robbery and other criminal activities.
West Trybe reports that the arrest of the suspected kidnapper and recovery of the drone are part of ongoing police clearance operations along Kano’s borders with Kaduna and Katsina states, where security agencies are seeking to disrupt criminal networks and prevent them from establishing operational safe havens.
