Gang of Fraudsters and Abductors Busted in Yobe, Victim Rescued, SUV Recovered
The Yobe State Police Command has successfully dismantled a four-man criminal gang involved in fraud, impersonation, and abduction. The operation also led to the safe rescue of a kidnapped man and the recovery of a Toyota Prado SUV used in the crime.
According to the Police, operatives from the Potiskum Divisional Headquarters acted on credible intelligence on February 16, 2026, around 10:30 PM, intercepting a suspicious Toyota Prado SUV moving unusually through Potiskum. The swift action led to the rescue of Abdulhamid Garba, 35, from Nayi-Nawa, Damaturu, who had been abducted earlier.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects posed as security personnel and falsely accused Abdulhamid of graft and financial misconduct. They then attempted to extort him and forcibly transport him to Potiskum in a hired vehicle.
The gang, led by Mohammed Usman (32) and aided by Kabiru Ibrahim Umar (42), Idriss Abdullahi Zakaria (27), and Matthew Obata (21), specialized in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public—especially merchants—by pretending to be security operatives. They claimed to be staff of Transworld Private Security Guard, Kano.
The suspects reportedly rented the Toyota Prado SUV from Giwa Company, Kano, for ₦400,000, deliberately concealing it to avoid detection. They demanded a ransom of ₦10 million from the victim’s family.
The suspects were arrested at A.U. Kaifayi Filling Station along the Potiskum–Kano Road, and the victim was immediately taken to Yobe State Specialist Hospital, Potiskum for medical examination. All four suspects have confessed and are currently in police custody as investigations continue.
Commissioner of Police Emmanuel Ado, psc, fdc, praised the professionalism and bravery of the officers involved and reassured the public of the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property. He urged citizens to continue cooperating by providing timely and credible information.
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