The Nigeria Police Force in Yobe State has thwarted an attempted abduction and arrested four suspected members of a criminal group accused of impersonation, fraud and kidnapping.
The command’s spokesperson, Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday, saying the operation led to the rescue of a 35-year-old victim and the recovery of a Toyota Prado SUV allegedly used in the crime.
According to the police, officers attached to the Potiskum Divisional Headquarters acted on intelligence late Monday night and intercepted a suspicious vehicle moving within the Potiskum area.
“The command, in line with its intelligence-driven policing strategy, successfully foiled a kidnap attempt and arrested four suspects believed to be part of a syndicate involved in abduction and impersonation,” Abdulkarim said.
Police identified the rescued victim as Abdulhamid Garba from Damaturu, noting that preliminary findings indicate he was earlier abducted by the suspects, who allegedly posed as security operatives.
Investigators said the suspects accused the victim of financial misconduct as a ploy to detain and intimidate him before transporting him toward Potiskum in a hired vehicle.
“The suspects fabricated allegations of corruption against the victim to unlawfully detain him and extort money from his relatives,” the spokesperson added.
Those arrested were named as Mohammed Usman, Kabiru Ibrahim, Idriss Abdullahi and Matthew Obata. Police said initial investigations suggest the abduction was organised by Usman with support from the others, who allegedly specialised in deceiving traders while posing as security personnel.
Abdulkarim further disclosed that the suspects claimed to be employees of a private security company and had hired the Toyota Prado in Kano for the operation. He added that the group allegedly demanded a ransom of ₦10 million from the victim’s family.
The suspects were eventually apprehended at a filling station along the Potiskum–Kano road, while the victim was rescued unharmed and taken to hospital for medical checks.
He said the suspects had made confessional statements and remained in custody as investigations continue ahead of prosecution.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ado, praised the officers involved in the operation and reaffirmed the command’s resolve to protect residents.
“The command remains committed to safeguarding lives and property across the state,” Abdulkarim quoted the police chief as saying, while urging the public to continue providing timely information to security agencies.
