Police arrest three suspects, rescue two-year-old kidnapped in Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested three suspects in connection with the recent kidnapping of a 2-year-old boy in the Sabon Pegi area of the Lafia Local Government Area.

The Commissioner of Police, Shetima Mohammed, made the disclosure on Friday at the command’s headquarters in Lafia during a press briefing on the achievements of the police command from August 30, 2025, to date.

According to him, the three suspects, namely Asabe Isah, Isah Umar, and Emmanuel Polycarp, were arrested following a manhunt launched by operatives of the command.

Mohammed said, “On 14/10/2025 at about 19:30 hrs, a complaint was lodged at ‘E’ Division that one Godwin Abeson, 2 years old, of Sabon Pegi, Shabu, was kidnapped and a ransom of fifteen million Naira (N15,000,000) was demanded.

Upon receipt of the complaint, police detectives attached to Shabu Division launched a manhunt for the abductors, where the trio of Asabe Isah, Isah Umar, and Emmanuel Polycarp were arrested and the child was rescued on 16 October 2025 and reunited with his family.”

The Commissioner of Police further explained that preliminary investigation revealed that Asabe Isah conspired with her husband (Isah Umar) in abducting the victim.

He narrated that the suspects took the victim to Angwan Nungu, Lafia, and handed him over to Emmanuel Polycarp, who held him hostage and began calling to demand ransom.

According to the Commissioner of Police, the suspects have confessed to the crime, and a thorough investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.

Mohammed also announced the arrest of a suspected armed robber/kidnapper and the recovery of an AK-47 rifle in the Azara community of Awe LGA in the state.

He said, “On October 5, 2025, at about 09:00 hours, a complaint was lodged at Azara Division that unknown armed men attacked road users along Akiri feeder road, Azara Development Area of Awe LGA.

“A patrol team was immediately deployed to the scene, where one Mohammed Alhaji Giginya, of Kumar Village, was arrested while attempting to flee.”

While noting that the victims were taken to the Azara medical facility for treatment, the Commissioner added that the recovered exhibits include: one (1) AK-47 rifle (Breach No. 58-127097110), one (1) magazine, and one (1) live round of 7.62mm ammunition.

According to Mohammed, during the period under review, the Nasarawa State Police Command was able to arrest 24 suspected kidnappers and one suspected armed robber, adding that three firearms and eight rounds of ammunition were also recovered.

“The Nasarawa State Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property. We will continue to intensify intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing, and ensure that all criminals face the full weight of the law.

“I urge all residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with the Police by providing credible information that will help sustain the current tempo in the fight against crime,” he concluded.

reports that the growth of kidnapping cases in central states has been linked to ransom demands, porous borders, underfunded security agencies, and gaps in community intelligence networks.

In many recent kidnappings, victims have been seized near major roads or transit routes, making swift response and cooperation from local residents imperative for rescue.

On September 29, 2025, the Nasarawa State Police Command arrested two suspected kidnappers who had been terrorising residents of Doma and Lafia Local Government Areas of the state.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the arrest in a press statement issued to journalists in Lafia, the state capital.

According to the statement, the arrest followed reports from residents of Saman Laraba in Doma, who, alongside others from Lafia, complained that unknown persons had been threatening them through phone calls for over two months, demanding a ransom of N3,000,000 or risk being kidnapped.