Army Nabs Two Kidnap Suspects in Kaduna Village

Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested two suspected kidnappers in a targeted operation in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks terrorising communities in the region.

The suspects, identified as Muhammadu Nura, 35, and Monday Danjuma, 45, were apprehended at about 2:15 p.m. on Friday, 2 October 2026, at Makasa Village by personnel of Sector 7, Sub-Sector 71 of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP).

Security sources said the duo was taken into custody and is currently undergoing interrogation to determine the full extent of their alleged involvement in kidnapping and related crimes.

The arrest formed part of a series of coordinated military operations conducted on 1 and 2 October across Edo, Kaduna, Benue, Kogi and Plateau states. According to an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, troops rescued a total of 15 kidnapped victims during the period while also recovering livestock and disrupting other illicit activities.

In a separate incident in Kaduna the same weekend, troops of the same Sector 7 unit foiled a kidnapping attempt along the Godogodo–Gidan Waya road in Jema’a Local Government Area. The swift intervention forced the attackers to abandon one of their victims, who had sustained gunshot wounds. The injured man was immediately evacuated to the General Hospital in Gidan Waya for treatment, while security forces continued the search for the fleeing suspects.

Elsewhere, troops of the 195 Battalion rescued three victims, including the driver of a passenger bus travelling from Makurdi to Ibadan, after responding to a kidnapping along the Ekor–Ikakumo road in Akoko-Edo, Edo State. In Benue and Kogi states, troops of Operation Whirl Stroke rescued six more victims in separate operations. At Gbise in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue, soldiers forced kidnappers to flee and abandon three victims. In Kogi, troops working with local vigilantes rescued three kidnapped herders at Agbadu Bunu in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area and recovered 21 cattle left behind by the fleeing criminals.

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Military authorities also reported the discovery of approximately 3,000 litres of illegally refined petroleum products in 60 sacks and a drum at Ogbogolo Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State by troops of the 16 Brigade supported by the 5 Battalion. The items were secured in line with established procedures.

The latest successes underscore the Nigerian Army’s sustained pressure on kidnapping syndicates and other criminal elements operating across the country. Security sources emphasised that troops remain on high alert, intensifying intelligence-driven patrols and collaborating with local communities and vigilante groups to deny criminals freedom of action and ensure the safety of residents and travellers.

The two suspects arrested in Sanga are expected to face further investigation and possible prosecution as authorities work to dismantle the networks behind the persistent threat of abduction in parts of Kaduna and neighbouring states.