The Kano State Police Command has recorded a major breakthrough with the arrest of a notorious suspect linked to the 2023 abduction of the Village Head of Garun Babba, Alhaji Abdulmumini Mudi Zakari.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed that operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad arrested the suspect, 27-year-old Usman Lawan Baba, alias “Yellow,” on October 2, 2025, in Dakatsalle, Zango Ranka, Bebeji Local Government Area.
According to the statement, Baba had been on the police wanted list following the August 9, 2023 incident in which armed men abducted the traditional ruler and carted away ₦2.75 million, a Tecno Kevo 4 handset, and a wristwatch. The monarch was later rescued after police intercepted the fleeing gang.
It further explained that during interrogation, the suspect admitted his involvement, confessing that he received ₦6,000 as his share of the loot. He also named accomplices, some of whom have since been neutralized by security forces. Among those identified were, Bello Kici-Kici of Falgore Village, Doguwa LGA, killed during a police operation in Jigawa State with an AK-47 rifle recovered.
Another is, Mallam Sale of Gezawa LGA, neutralized during an armed robbery operation in Gezawa, while Ruwa Shehu of Gafan Village, Bebeji LGA, is currently serving a jail term for kidnapping-related crimes.
Others, including Ibrahim Gwanja, Sule Naye, and an unidentified member of the gang, remain under investigation. Similarly, the Police Command confirmed that Baba will be charged to court upon completion of investigations. While commending the operatives, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, praised the Anti-Kidnapping Squad’s relentless efforts and urged the public to continue supporting security agencies in the fight against crime.
