Nigeria: Police rescue 17 abducted victims, recover 21 AK-47 rifles in Kaduna operations
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
The Kaduna State Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit, working with the Office of the National Security Adviser, rescued 17 people who had been kidnapped from Sarkin Pawa in Niger State on March 3, 2025. The operation, carried out through non-violent means, was described as a major step in advancing intelligence-driven policing and collaboration between security agencies.
Among those rescued were men, women, and children ranging in age from one to 35 years old. All were taken to the Police Clinic in Kaduna for medical evaluation and were confirmed to be in stable condition.
On the same day, police also intercepted a commercial vehicle at Kawo Central Motor Park in Kaduna. A search of the vehicle revealed 21 fabricated AK-47 rifles hidden inside. A 27-year-old suspect, Jamilu Suleiman, was arrested and confessed he had been directed by a union member to deliver the firearms to an unidentified recipient in Kaduna.
In a separate incident, police responded to an armed robbery at Doggi Farm along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway. Officers engaged a group of about 30 robbers in a gunfight. Two suspects were killed during the exchange, while another was arrested and later died in the hospital. A fourth suspect was captured alive and is currently cooperating with authorities.
Efforts are ongoing to locate and apprehend other fleeing members of the gang.
