Police shoot dead suspected kidnapper, save victim in Kebbi

The police have shot dead a suspected kidnapper and rescued an abducted man during an operation in the Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The state police command said the operation also led to the arrest of a suspected gang member named Bube Tukur. They recovered weapons that the gang allegedly used.

In a statement on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Bashir Usman, said they acted on a tip-off from the public.

He explained that investigators linked Tukur, who lives in Kasuwar Daji in Bagudo and is from Yarma Village in Suru Local Government Area, to the abduction of a man named Abu Geza from Geza Village in Bagudo LGA.

Bashir Usman said the arrest happened during a joint operation with police and other security teams.

"Investigation showed that the suspect is part of a gang of eight members, with one Jiji Mujugu as the gang leader," the statement said.

The police spokesperson mentioned that they found one locally made pistol and a live cartridge with the suspect. The victim was rescued without any injuries.

He added that Tukur later guided the security teams to the hideout of the suspected gang leader.

According to the police, the suspected kidnapper fired at the security personnel during the operation and tried to escape.

"The operatives returned fire, killing him. We found one locally made pistol with him," Usman stated.

The police claimed this gang has been involved in kidnapping across various communities. These include Geza, Adawa, Matsinkai, Sharabi, Illela, Suru, Dakin Gari, and Bagudo.

The police said they are still trying to catch other members of the gang who ran away during the operation.

The Commissioner of Police, Umar Hadejia, praised residents for sharing helpful information that supported the operation. He encouraged the public to keep working with security agencies by reporting any suspicious activities.

Kidnapping continues to be a major security issue in Kebbi and neighboring North-western states. Armed groups are still targeting travelers, farmers, and rural areas despite ongoing security efforts.