Katsina State has been thrown into a state of shock following the arrest of a high-ranking political figure linked to a high-profile kidnapping syndicate. Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command have apprehended Nura Aliyu, the Senior Special Assistant to the Katsina State Governor on Community Development, for allegedly masterminding the abduction of an eight-year-old boy. The 39-year-old government official was arrested alongside five other suspected members of the criminal gang who allegedly plotted and executed the criminal operation.
According to an official statement released by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, the breakthrough was achieved through a well-coordinated operation. The security breach has raised significant concerns within the state's political and social circles, given the administrative position previously held by the chief suspect.
In a swift reaction to the unsettling development, the Katsina State Government disclosed that Nura Aliyu had already been under administrative scrutiny prior to his arrest by the police. A statement issued on Monday, May 25, 2026, and signed by the Katsina State Commissioner of Information and Culture, Bala Salisu Zango, revealed that Aliyu had earlier been suspended from his position as Senior Special Assistant to Governor Dikko Umaru Radda on Community Development.
The suspension, according to the commissioner, was triggered by serious allegations relating to the diversion of empowerment materials. The materials were strictly intended for vulnerable communities within the Batsari Local Government Area under the state’s strategic Community Development Programme. The government further noted that despite the cloud of corruption allegations hovering over him, Nura Aliyu had recently indicated a strong interest in contesting for a elective political seat in the Katsina State House of Assembly to represent the people of Batsari Local Government Area.
Providing an exhaustive breakdown of the criminal case, the Katsina State Police Spokesman, DSP Aliyu, explained that the victim was snatched by the syndicate on May 13, 2026, at approximately 6:00 p.m. The innocent eight-year-old child was intercepted and bundled away by his captors while he was returning home from a local Islamic school. The following day, the syndicate established contact with the distraught family, demanding a staggering sum of N50 million as a condition for his release. Following intense and agonizing negotiations, the family ultimately parted with N17 million to secure the safe return of the young boy.
During the subsequent police investigation, detectives made substantial recoveries from the apprehended suspects. DSP Aliyu disclosed that the sum of N7.5 million, which constitutes a portion of the paid N17 million ransom, was successfully recovered. Additionally, security operatives confiscated one Peugeot 307 vehicle and a Boxer motorcycle, which were allegedly utilized during the operation, alongside other incriminating exhibits.
The police spokesman further revealed that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to their active involvement in the crime. They also implicated an accomplice identified simply as Abdul, who is currently at large and being actively tracked by intelligence networks.
The statement by DSP Aliyu outlined the tactical approach utilized by the police to crack the case. Upon receipt of the formal report regarding the child's abduction, operatives of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit of the command immediately swung into action. Acting on a wave of actionable and credible intelligence, the specialized operatives tracked the digital and physical footprints of the suspects, culminating in the successful arrest of six members of the syndicate on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
The police identified the arrested suspects as Nura Aliyu, age 39, who was unmasked as the mastermind of the plot and ironically discovered to be a direct neighbor to the victim’s family. The other five arrested accomplices were identified as Abubakar Aminu, age 37; Ibrahim Muhammad, age 51; Iliyasu Sani, age 51; Abubakar Muhammad, age 27, and Abdullahi Isma’il, age 30.
While noting that aggressive manhunt efforts are currently underway to apprehend the fleeing suspect, Abdul, DSP Aliyu stated that the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Ali Umar Fage, highly commended the operatives for carrying out a swift, precise, and professional operation. The Commissioner of Police reiterated the unwavering commitment of the state command to completely eradicate kidnapping, banditry, and other violent crimes across Katsina State. He assured members of the public that the judicial process would be strictly followed, noting that all the suspects will be formally charged to court immediately upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
On his part, the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, expressed deep sadness and anger over the disturbing incident. Speaking through the official channel of his Commissioner of Information and Culture, Bala Salisu Zango, Governor Radda described the activities of the alleged syndicate as deeply unfortunate and heartbreaking. He expressed grave concern that an individual entrusted with a significant public profile, community leadership responsibilities, and high political ambitions could be linked to such a heinous and dehumanizing crime against a child.
The governor's statement concluded by heavily praising the Katsina State Police Command and other sister security agencies operating within the state for their tireless efforts in addressing the complex challenges of insecurity. He urged them to sustain the current momentum of proactive operations against all forms of criminal elements attempting to undermine the peace and stability of Katsina State.
