Kebbi Police Nab Seven Suspected Terrorists in Major Anti-Banditry Crackdown
The Kebbi State Police Command has recorded a significant breakthrough in its ongoing fight against terrorism and banditry with the arrest of seven suspected terrorists during coordinated intelligence-led operations in Bagudo Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects were apprehended during separate security operations conducted on June 5, 2026, as police intensified efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating within the notorious Soda Forest axis and surrounding border communities.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, the arrests were part of a sustained campaign aimed at disrupting the movement, logistics, and operational capabilities of criminal elements responsible for terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes in the area.
The first operation was carried out along the Illo-Lolo Road, where operatives of the Mobile Police Force, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted three suspects travelling on a Haojue motorcycle from the Soda Forest area towards nearby border communities.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were allegedly on a mission to procure food supplies intended for criminal groups hiding within the forest. The suspects were identified as Muhammadu Bande, Aliyu Abubakar, and Muhammadu Aliyu. The motorcycle used in the operation was also recovered by security personnel.
In a separate but related operation along the Bakin Ruwa-Ka’oje axis, security operatives arrested four additional suspects identified as Haruna Abubakar, Abubakar Lawali, Anme Shehu, and Yahaya Shehu.
The arrests came as law enforcement agencies intensified pressure on criminal elements operating across the affected communities, particularly within forest enclaves that have become notorious hideouts for terrorists and bandits.
Police authorities disclosed that all seven suspects are currently in custody and undergoing further interrogation to determine the full extent of their alleged involvement in criminal activities. Investigators are also exploring possible links between the suspects and recent security incidents in the area, including the deadly attack that claimed the lives of three officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
The Command assured that the suspects would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of investigations and the establishment of sufficient evidence.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Umar M. Hadejia, described the arrests as a major operational success in the state’s ongoing campaign against insecurity.
He commended the professionalism, courage, and resilience displayed by officers involved in the operations and expressed appreciation to members of the public whose timely and credible intelligence contributed significantly to the success recorded.
The Commissioner reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-driven security operations across vulnerable communities, stressing that the police would continue to deny criminal groups freedom of movement while working to dismantle their networks and restore lasting peace.
He further urged residents to remain vigilant and continue cooperating with security agencies by providing useful and timely information, assuring that all intelligence received would be treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
The latest arrests underscore the growing momentum of security operations in Kebbi State as authorities intensify efforts to curb terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes threatening lives and livelihoods across the region.
Police authorities have indicated that further details will be made available as investigations progress.