FCT Police Free 23 Kidnapped Foreigners, Arrest 14 Suspects in Nasarawa Raid
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has rescued 23 foreign nationals from captivity and apprehended 14 suspected kidnappers in Nasarawa State.
SP Josephine Adeh, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed that the operation took place around 8 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22, 2025, at Angwan Adamu Ruga Fulani Zone B, Riverside, Ado Mararaba. The raid was conducted by the command’s elite Scorpion Squad following intelligence about a kidnapping syndicate operating in the area.
“Reports indicated that several foreign nationals were lured into Nigeria with promises of high-paying jobs, only to be held hostage and forced to pay ransom through WhatsApp and other online channels,” Adeh explained.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate was led by Abubakar Jigiba, a transnational criminal with residences in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, and Nigeria, while his younger brother, Sougule Zoubere, managed recruitment, trafficking, and the kidnapping operations. Victims were reportedly held in fortified apartments and were asked to pay four million CFA (approximately ₦10 million) each.
The rescued individuals—14 men, eight women, and one child were largely unharmed, except for one who sustained a minor ear injury and was treated at the National Hospital in Abuja.
The arrested suspects include Bubakari Cisse, Karamogo Dembele, Musa Kamsoko, Amadou Traore, Sareba Traore, Zoumana Diara, Umar Koulibaly, Alasgara Sagara, Berthe Saidu, Abdullahi Napo, Isah Goita, Lorita Traore, Mohammed Siaaibe, and Haruna Dembele. The primary suspects, Jigiba and Zoubere, remain at large.
Commissioner of Police CP Miller G. Dantawaye commended the Scorpion Squad for the successful operation and urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities. The operation forms part of ongoing efforts to curb banditry and kidnappings, especially around border communities in Bwari, Kuje, and Gwagwalada councils.
