By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, Godwin Yahaya, over an alleged conspiracy...
The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, Godwin Yahaya, over an alleged conspiracy to kidnap and kill a farmer, Jonah Isah, in Zawudna village, Munya Local Government Area of the state.
According to the police, Yahaya allegedly contracted a man identified as Bashiru, who is currently at large, in 2024 to abduct Isah, a large-scale farmer, for ransom.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the abduction reportedly took place on June 26, 2026, when Bashiru and members of his gang allegedly invaded the victim’s residence at about midnight.
The gang reportedly killed Isah and abducted members of his family, alongside three other persons.
The kidnappers allegedly demanded a ransom of ₦2.1 million before releasing the victims.
The police disclosed that the victims, who were recently rescued and released, reportedly implicated Yahaya, alleging that the kidnappers identified him as the person who contracted them to carry out the operation.
Abiodun said operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) attached to the Kuchi area arrested Yahaya and subsequently transferred him to the Sarkin-Pawa Police Division for investigation.
During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to contracting Bashiru to abduct the farmer so they could share the ransom proceeds, according to the police.
The police spokesperson further disclosed that preliminary investigations indicated that Yahaya allegedly took over the deceased’s farmland for his personal use following the farmer’s death.
The suspect is currently undergoing further investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Minna, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend his alleged accomplices.
The police said investigations would continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the killing and the alleged kidnapping conspiracy.
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