Police Arrest Four Over Planned Nasarawa Kidnap

The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested four suspected abductors who allegedly planned to kidnap and kill their intended victim after collecting ransom.

The command also arrested two suspects in connection with a cult-related killing in Lafia, the state capital.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Lafia on Thursday.

Nansel said operatives of the State Intelligence Department, Lafia, launched a discreet investigation after receiving credible intelligence about an alleged criminal conspiracy and plan to commit an abduction.

He said the investigation led to the arrest of four suspects identified as Yahaya Musa, Likita Adamu, Riga Abdullahi and Saidu Alhaji Gari, all residents of Adudu District in Obi Local Government Area of the state.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had allegedly planned to abduct one Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, also known as Alhaji Na’iye. However, the plan was uncovered before it could be executed.

“Consequently, operatives of the SID arrested two of the suspects on September 19, 2026, while the third suspect was arrested on September 22, 2026 and the fourth on September 23, 2026,” he said.

The police spokesperson said preliminary interrogation indicated that the suspects allegedly confessed to involvement in the planned abduction and disclosed that they intended to kill the victim after collecting ransom.

He said the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia for further investigation and prosecution.

Two arrested over cult-related killing

In a separate development, Nansel said the command received a distress call at about 6am on September 24 concerning the discovery of an unidentified man lying in a pool of blood behind the Eji-World area of Lafia.

He said the Divisional Police Officer of Ombi 1 Division, Lafia, led officers to the scene, where they found a 26-year-old man identified as Venus, whose surname was unknown.

According to the PPRO, the victim, an indigene of Benue State, was taken to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia, where a medical doctor confirmed him dead.

He said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects had allegedly gone in search of the victim’s friend, Joseph Friday Oluyemi, of Maisoti Street, Lafia.

Oluyemi reportedly told the police that he had earlier received threats from suspected cult members.

Nansel said police operatives had arrested two suspects, identified as Friday Joshua and ThankGod Auta Vincent, in connection with the incident.

He added that efforts were ongoing to arrest other persons suspected to be involved in the killing.

“The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at the mortuary of the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia, for autopsy.

“The Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, CP Shetima Jauro Muhammad, has directed that the investigations be conducted diligently and professionally, with all persons found culpable brought to justice in accordance with the law.

“CP Shetima urges members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the Police,” he added.