On Wednesday, 16 September 2026, the Katsina State Police Command said it had arrested 22-year-old Sani Dikko, who allegedly conspired with two other men to kidnap his grandfather, Alhaji Lawal, and collect a N3m ransom before the victim was freed.

Sani Dikko was arrested with Kabir Sani, 22, and Salisu Bello, 22, by the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit near Marabar Shema Village in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area.

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Deputy Superintendent of Police Abubakar Aliyu, the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, issued the account on behalf of Commissioner of Police Ali Fage.

The arrests were made at about 8:23pm on 12 September 2026 during a confidence-building patrol, after what the command called credible intelligence.

“On 12th September 2026, at about 8:23 pm, operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), while on a confidence-building patrol along Marabar Shema Village, acted on credible intelligence and successfully busted a three-man kidnap syndicate,” the statement said. “During preliminary investigation, the suspects confessed to the commission of the offence. Specifically, Sani Dikko voluntarily confessed to conspiring with the other suspects to kidnap his grandfather, one Alhaji Lawal, about three weeks ago. The victim spent 16 days in captivity before securing her release following the payment of a ₦3,000,000 ransom.”

The three men remain in custody while officers look into whether they belong to a wider network.

In a separate operation, police said they rescued two women abducted during an attack on Sha’iskawa Fulani Village in Kankia Local Government Area.

Assubi Rabe, 45, and Rabi Isyaku, 27, were taken at about 12:45am on 14 September by about eight armed bandits, according to the command.

The Kankia Divisional Police Officer sent officers after a distress call. The team exchanged fire with the attackers, who fled into the bush. “Due to the superior firepower of the police team, the bandits fled into the surrounding bush, allowing operatives to successfully rescue both kidnapped victims unhurt,” the statement said.