The Katsina State Police Command has arrested four individuals, including a 13-year-old boy, for providing information to terrorists. The suspects are Umar Hassan (13), Lawai Umaru (70), Ibrahim Lawai (22), and Abdulganiyu Isah (22).
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abubakar Sadiq, these informants’ activities have led to multiple attacks on villages, including cattle rustling and kidnapping. Umar Hassan was arrested on July 3, 2024, in Dansoda village, Dandume LGA, for aiding armed banditry by providing information on potential targets to bandits. During the investigation, he confessed to his involvement and identified an accomplice named Abba, who is currently at large. He also admitted to being part of a gang that repeatedly attacked Unguwar Bawa village, engaging in kidnapping and rustling animals.
Further investigations, based on credible intelligence, led to the arrests of Lawai Umaru, Ibrahim Lawai, and Abdulganiyu Isah from Babbar Ruga village, Batagarawa LGA. They were found to be supplying sensitive information to a notorious terrorist leader, Mustafa Dan Gambo, who is still at large. All three suspects confessed to their crimes during interrogation.
In a related development, the police also arrested Musaddik Abdullahi of Kofar Kaura quarters, Katsina, who is part of a notorious kidnapping-for-ransom syndicate. His arrest followed a complaint about the disappearance of Isiya Lawal from Sabuwar Unguwa quarters. The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, Aliyu Abubakar Musa, directed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) to investigate. The unit traced and arrested Abdullahi, who confessed to being part of a four-man syndicate that kidnapped Lawal, demanded a ₦600,000 ransom, and subsequently killed him. The investigation into this case is still ongoing.
