Nasarawa child kidnapping suspects arrested after police rescue 2-year-old boy in Lafia. Officers recover weapons, vow stronger crime crackdown.

Nasarawa child kidnapping suspects have been arrested by the state police command following the rescue of a 2-year-old boy abducted from the Sabon Pegi area of Lafia.

Also read: Text of national broadcast by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the 64th Independence Anniversary of the Federal Republic of Nigeria October 1, 2024

Commissioner of Police Shetima Mohammed confirmed the arrests during a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Lafia on Friday, detailing the successful operation as part of a broader crackdown on crime between August and October 2025.

According to Mohammed, the three individuals — Asabe Isah, her husband Isah Umar, and Emmanuel Polycarp — were apprehended following a swift manhunt launched by operatives from the Shabu Division after a kidnapping report was filed on 14 October.

“The suspects were arrested and the child was rescued on 16 October 2025. He has since been reunited with his family,” the police commissioner stated.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Asabe Isah conspired with her husband to abduct the boy. They later handed him over to Emmanuel Polycarp, who kept the child in Angwan Nungu and demanded ₦15 million ransom.

All three suspects have confessed to the crime, and a thorough investigation is ongoing, police say.

In a separate operation, police also arrested Mohammed Alhaji Giginya, a suspected armed robber and kidnapper, following an attack on commuters in the Azara area of Awe Local Government.

Victims injured in the roadside attack have been taken to a local health facility for treatment.

Commissioner Mohammed revealed that, within the two-month review period, 24 suspected kidnappers and one armed robbery suspect have been apprehended.

Police also recovered three firearms and eight rounds of ammunition, reinforcing their commitment to proactive security enforcement.

“We are intensifying intelligence gathering and community policing. All criminals will face the full weight of the law,” he assured.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information to help authorities sustain momentum in the fight against crime.

Recent months have seen a surge in kidnappings across central states, with security experts blaming porous borders, underfunded police operations, and limited community intelligence.

Victims are often abducted along roads or near transit areas, making local cooperation essential to enable quick response and recovery.

Earlier on 29 September, Nasarawa police arrested two additional suspects accused of issuing threats and demanding ransom from residents in Doma and Lafia LGAs — a pattern of escalating intimidation in the region.

Also read: Couple in police net for asking family for ₦5m ransom in self-kidnap plot

With growing pressure on law enforcement to respond to criminal threats, the Nasarawa child kidnapping case highlights both the challenges and the critical importance of responsive policing and public cooperation.