Suspected kidnappers’ car crashes; ransom, arms abandoned

Suspected kidnappers operating in the Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State were forced to abandon a ransom and their weapons after their vehicle was involved in a crash. The incident occurred on Monday morning at Angwan Mayo, along the Kokona axis. The gang’s vehicle, allegedly loaded with firearms, crashed shortly after they had collected […]

Suspected kidnappers operating in the Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State were forced to abandon a ransom and their weapons after their vehicle was involved in a crash.

The incident occurred on Monday morning at Angwan Mayo, along the Kokona axis.

The gang’s vehicle, allegedly loaded with firearms, crashed shortly after they had collected a ransom from their victims. Witnesses reported that the kidnappers fled the scene, leaving the money and weapons behind.

The state police command confirmed the incident in a statement signed by its spokesperson, SP Ramhan Nansel.

The statement revealed that police recovered several rifles, ammunition, and N6.9 million in cash from the scene.

According to the statement, “On 18/08/2025 at about 0908hrs, police operatives attached to Garaku Division received a distress call from Angwan Mayo community regarding a lone crash near the VIO checkpoint. Two occupants of an Opel Vectra vehicle with registration number PLATEAU BLD 566 ST reportedly fled the scene immediately after the accident.

‘’Upon arrival, officers found that a vigilant VIO officer had already recovered a G3 rifle and cash from the crashed vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle at the police station led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, one Type 06 rifle, and one G3 rifle.’’ Other items recovered, according to the statement, included three magazines and 57 rounds of live ammunition, as well as a total of N6,908,150 in cash.

‘’Following the discovery, police, in collaboration with the military, launched an intensive manhunt for the fleeing suspects.

‘’One of them, identified as Mohammed Tahir of Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, was arrested after he escaped into a forest.

‘’During interrogation, Tahir confessed to being a member of a seven-man kidnap gang responsible for the abduction of a lawyer in Nyanya, Abuja, from whom a ransom was collected,’’ the statement added.

He admitted that he and another accomplice were on their way to Jos to share the proceeds of the crime when the accident occurred.

The command assured that efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects, adding that the suspect and the recovered items have been moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia for further investigation, as directed by the state Commissioner of Police, Shettima Jauro Mohammed.