Man confesses to hiring kidnappers to abduct and kill farmer for ransom in Niger State

The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, Godwin Yahaya, for criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and kidnapping. 

The spokesperson for the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who disclosed this in a statement on 10th October, 2026 said the suspect allegedly contracted a man identified as Bashiru,  to abduct a large-scale farmer, Jonah Isah, for ransom in Zawudna village, Munya Local Government Area of the state.

According to the PPRO, on June 26, 2026, Bashiru and members of his gang invaded the victim’s residence at about midnight.

The gang k!lled Isah and abducted members of his family alongside three other persons.

The abductors demanded N2.1 million as ransom before releasing the victims.

Abiodun disclosed that the victims, who were recently rescued and released, implicated Yahaya, alleging that the kidnappers identified him as the person who contracted them to carry out the operation.

The operatives of the Department of State Services attached to the Kuchi area arrested Yahaya on September 27, 2026, before transferring him to the Sarkin-Pawa Police Division for investigation.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to contracting Bashiru to abduct the farmer so that they could share the ransom proceeds.

The PPRO further alleged that investigations revealed that Yahaya took over the deceased’s farmland for his personal use after the farmer’s d3ath.

"On 27/9/2026 at about 1:40p.m, DSS operatives attached to Kuchi area arrested and transferred one Godwin Yahaya, 29yrs of Zawudna Village, Munya LGA to Sarkin-Pawa Police Div following a complaint by some kidnapped victims in the community who were recently released and rescued, that the suspect conspired with some suspected kidnappers to abduct one Jonah Isah, now deceased and others to obtain ransom.

"Police operatives attached to the Div immediately commenced investigation and during interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime stating that sometime in the year 2024, he contracted one Bashiru, now at large to abduct Jonah in order to obtain ransom which they would share amongst themselves, as the victim was a large scale farmer, but they did not perpetrate the act until after two years and on the 26/6/2026 at about 12am, the said Bashiru and his gang members invaded Zawudna village, trespassed into the residence of the victim, k!lled him and abducted his family along with three other persons.

"The abductors demanded a ransom of two million, one hundred thousand naira before releasing the victims. They also revealed to the victims that it was Godwin who contracted them to perpetrate the act.

"Further investigation also revealed that following the d3ath of the deceased, the suspect converted the deceased's farmland for his personal use before his arrest and during interrogation, the suspect confessed to the act. 

“He is presently under further investigation in SCID Minna, and effort to arrest his accomplices is in progress.”