Police arrest notorious kidnap suspect, recover drone in Kano

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By Hadiza Yusuf

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Kano State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper and recovered a drone during separate clearance operations across the state.

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The command said the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Habibu Bello of Kunkumi Town, Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was arrested on September 14, 2026.

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In a statement issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said Bello was arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad following credible intelligence.

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The police alleged that the suspect was a member of a syndicate involved in kidnapping, armed robbery and cattle rustling across Kano, Katsina and Kaduna states.

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According to the command, the investigation following his arrest also led to the arrest of another suspected member of the group, identified as Mudam from Kwanar Dangora.

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Police said Bello confessed to involvement in several kidnapping and cattle-rustling incidents.

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The command alleged that he was involved in the abduction of Hajiya Binta of Kwanar Dangora, for which a ransom of ₦20 million was reportedly paid.

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“The suspect was also linked to the alleged kidnapping of a household in Gwarzo Local Government Area, Kano State, as well as cattle-rustling activities across the three states,” he said.

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The police said the investigation was ongoing, while efforts were being made to arrest other members of the alleged syndicate and recover their weapons.

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In a separate operation, police operatives recovered a cine-camera drone at Hawan Tarau Village in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State.

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The command said the drone, marked GT 50, was found lying on the ground during a clearance operation on September 17 at about 2pm.

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“Efforts were ongoing to establish the source and owner of the drone,” he added.

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The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the officers involved in the operations and said the command would continue working with neighbouring police commands to prevent criminals from using the borders as safe havens.

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He also urged residents to report suspicious movements to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency lines.

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