Police Arrest Gov’s Aide, Six Others for Abducting School Boy

The immediate past Senior Special Assistant to Katsina Governor Dikko Radda on Community Development Programme, Nura Aliyu, has been arrested by the police for allegedly leading a kidnap gang involved in the abduction of an eight-year-old schoolboy and the collection of N17 million ransom.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, said Aliyu was arrested alongside five other members of a syndicate in Katsina metropolis, while another accomplice remains at large.

According to the statement, the victim was abducted on May 13, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m. while returning from an Islamic school.

The police said the suspects contacted the victim’s family and initially demanded N50 million ransom before negotiations led to the payment of N17 million to secure the boy’s release.

The statement added that operatives of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) swung into action immediately after receiving the report.

“Acting on credible intelligence, operatives tracked and arrested six members of the syndicate today, May 23, 2026,” the statement said.

Those arrested were identified as Nura Aliyu, 39, who was described as the mastermind and a neighbour to the victim’s family; Abubakar Aminu, 37; Ibrahim Muhammad, 51; Iliyasu Sani, 51; Abubakar Muhammad, 27; and Abdullahi Isma’il, 30.

Items recovered from the suspects’ hideout included N7.5 million cash, a Peugeot 307 car, and a motorcycle.

According to the police, the suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation and identified another gang member, simply identified as Abdul, as being on the run.

The Command said the suspects would be charged to court, while efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing accomplice.

The police also reassured residents of the state of their commitment to tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes.

Katsina Govt Disowns Suspect
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Government has distanced itself from the suspect amid reports that he resigned his appointment to contest for a seat in the Katsina State House of Assembly representing Batsari Constituency.

In a statement, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Bala Zango, clarified that Nura Aliyu was dismissed from office over alleged diversion of empowerment materials meant for communities in Batsari Local Government Area, rather than resigning to pursue political ambition.

According to the statement, the suspect was suspended over his alleged involvement in diverting materials meant for distribution under the state government’s Community Development Programme.

Governor Dikko Umaru Radda reportedly described the activities of the gang as unfortunate, especially as they allegedly involved a high-profile individual who once sought elective office.

The Governor commended the State Police Command and other security agencies for their efforts in combating insecurity and urged members of the public to support security agencies by reporting suspicious individuals and activities.