Kidnapper Arrested After Abuja Victim Identifies Him at Cattle Market

A suspected kidnapper was arrested at the Izom Cattle Market in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State after a victim recognized him and alerted local vigilantes. The arrest occurred around 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2025, after one of the victims of a recent abduction in Abuja’s Gwagwalada area council spotted the suspect at the market.

The incident traces back to June 9, 2025, when two herders and a driver were abducted near the Daku community in the Federal Capital Territory. The trio had just left Izom market, where they had sold cattle, when they were taken by a gang of kidnappers. A ransom of N15 million was reportedly paid before the victims were released.

According to Ishaku Daniel, a member of the vigilante group that made the arrest, the suspect was dressed in a clean kaftan and appeared to be shopping at the market when he was identified. The vigilantes swiftly mobilized and apprehended him. A crowd that gathered upon hearing of the arrest nearly lynched the suspect before he was secured.

Upon searching the suspect, vigilantes reportedly found a sack containing packets of cigarettes, tramadol, cough syrup, and Indian hemp. The suspect was later handed over to security operatives from Lambata, also in Niger State.

A security source confirmed the arrest and disclosed that the suspect had confessed to being part of the kidnap gang. He remains in custody as investigations continue to identify and apprehend other members of the group.