Minna Twins Regain Freedom After Two Months in Captivity

​MINNA — Relief has swept through the Brighter area of Minna, Niger State, following the safe release of six-year-old twin boys, Umar and Anas, who spent over two months in the custody of suspected kidnappers.

​The siblings had been held captive since June 2026, after being allegedly abducted by their family’s private security guard, Sani Abdulrahman.

​The distressing ordeal began during the Eid al-Adha celebrations when the boys’ father, a local businessman identified as Danjuma, was away from home. According to family sources, Abdulrahman exploited his position of trust by telling household members that he was taking the children out on a motorcycle to enjoy the festive atmosphere in town.

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​When the children failed to return after several hours, initial panic led family members to scour local hospitals across the Minna metropolis, fearing the boys had been victims of a road traffic accident. However, the situation escalated into a security crisis later that evening when the family received a chilling phone call.

​The callers, suspected to be members of an abduction ring operating out of the notorious Erena forest in the Shiroro Local Government Area, confirmed that the children were in their custody and demanded a substantial ransom.

​While the Niger State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, had earlier launched a manhunt for the fugitive security guard and promised a thorough investigation, sources close to the family confirmed that the twins ultimately regained their freedom following negotiations and the payment of a ransom.

​Official statements regarding the exact location of their release, the apprehension of the primary suspect, and the physical condition of the young boys are yet to be formally released by law enforcement authorities.