By Kazeem Waris
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested suspected terrorism financiers, alleged suppliers of motorcycles to bandits, armed robbery suspects and suspected kidnappers in intelligence-led operations across Kaduna and Plateau states.
The operations, conducted by the Police Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT), also resulted in the recovery of five firearms, including two pistols and three locally fabricated guns, a motorcycle and a stolen Toyota Corolla.
The Force Intelligence Department disclosed the arrests during a briefing in Abuja on the operational achievements of the IRT, describing the operations as part of sustained efforts to dismantle criminal networks involved in kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and terrorism-related activities.
The IRT Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Adamu Muazu, said two suspects, identified as Nura Umar, 20, from Kidandan, and Alhaji Rabiu Aliyu, 58, from Zaria, Kaduna State, were arrested over alleged involvement in kidnapping and banditry-related activities.
According to him, the suspects were arrested on August 29, 2026, following intelligence linking them to the supply of motorcycles to bandits operating in Kaduna and Katsina states.
Muazu said the suspects allegedly confessed to supplying several motorcycles to bandit groups in the two states.
One Honda CV-125 motorcycle without a registration number was recovered during the operation.
The police described the arrests as significant to efforts to disrupt the financial and logistical networks sustaining kidnapping and banditry, adding that investigations were ongoing to identify other accomplices and trace the financial channels behind the activities.
In another operation, the IRT arrested three suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly involved in one-chance operations, car snatching and armed robbery in Kaduna and its environs.
The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Abubakar, Yusuf Mohammed and Bala Ibrahim.
The police said Abubakar was arrested on October 12, 2026, at about 8:30pm, following credible human and technical intelligence on the activities of a gang allegedly terrorising residents, particularly commercial tricycle and motorcycle operators.
The gang was accused of strangling victims before dispossessing them of their valuables.
The police further disclosed that Abubakar, who had previously served a 13-year jail term for a similar offence, identified a suspected gang leader, Boniface, who is currently in Kaduna Prison.
According to the police, Boniface allegedly directed Abubakar to a hideout where the gang’s operational firearms were kept.
Following the execution of a reproduction warrant, operatives recovered two pistols from the location.
Further investigations reportedly led to the arrest of Mohammed and Ibrahim, who were allegedly involved in receiving stolen vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles.
The police accused Mohammed of receiving stolen vehicles and facilitating their movement to the Niger Republic through Sokoto State. One Dahiru, who is currently at large, was identified as an alleged link in the operation.
Ibrahim was also accused of receiving stolen motorcycles and commercial tricycles.
In a separate operation in Jos, Plateau State, the IRT arrested three suspects over alleged armed robbery and kidnapping.
The suspects, identified as Benjamin Okafor, 38, Moses Akintuwi, 41, and Emmanuel Maikarfi, were arrested on November 2, 2026, at about 3:30pm.
Items recovered from them included three locally fabricated pistols, one cartridge and an unregistered 2015 Toyota Corolla.
The police alleged that the suspects robbed a victim at gunpoint, dispossessing him of N200,000 cash, a laptop, three mobile phones and three ATM cards.
They were also accused of using the victim’s ATM cards to withdraw an additional N800,000 from his bank accounts.
The police said investigations were ongoing to apprehend other suspected members of the gang and establish their possible involvement in other criminal activities.
The Force Intelligence Department said the operations underscored the importance of intelligence gathering and proactive policing in tackling violent crimes, stressing that efforts must go beyond arresting direct perpetrators to identifying those providing financial and logistical support to criminal groups.
It urged members of the public to provide credible and timely information that could assist security agencies in identifying criminal activities and preventing threats.
The police also cautioned against spreading unverified information capable of undermining ongoing investigations and security operations.
