Police in Kebbi State have rescued five kidnap victims and arrested three suspects following a coordinated security operation in Dakingari, Suru Local Government Area.

The Kebbi State Police Command said the operation followed credible intelligence that armed men had invaded Dolen Kwandage Village and abducted three residents.

Victims rescued unhurt

The three newly abducted residents were identified as Samaila Abubakar, 35, Dayyaba Muhammadu, 32, and Balki Hakimi, 31.

Police operatives, working with local vigilantes, moved quickly to the area and pursued the assailants. The police said the superior firepower of the security team forced the kidnappers to abandon their captives.

As well as the three new victims, officers rescued two other women who had earlier been held in captivity. They were identified as Moe Muddaha, 50, and Hadiza Bello, 30, both from Yarma Village in Suru Local Government Area.

All five victims were rescued unhurt and taken to the General Hospital in Dakingari for medical examination before being reunited with their families.

Three suspects arrested

The operation also led to the arrest of three suspects, identified as Umaru Janyo, 49, and Bube Kwaire, 28, both from Bendu Village, and Muhammadu Gyade, 22, of Tindifai Village.

Police said other members of the criminal gang escaped with suspected gunshot injuries. Items recovered during the operation included an unregistered Haojue motorcycle, 308,000 naira in cash, a chain and a jerrycan.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman Kebbi, disclosed the details in a statement on Sunday, 8 November 2026.

Patrols stepped up

The Commissioner of Police, CP Umar M. Hadejia, commended the operatives and their local vigilante collaborators for their prompt response, courage and effective coordination.

He restated the command's commitment to protecting lives and property, disrupting criminal networks and ensuring that perpetrators of violent crimes were brought to justice.

The command said it had intensified security patrols and surveillance in the area, adding that efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects. Hadejia also urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.

The rescue follows other recent security operations in the state. On 3 November, troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, rescued nine kidnapped victims and recovered 108 livestock during operations in the Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area, after responding to a distress call about a bandit attack in the Danko area.

Kidnapping has remained a major concern in several communities across northern Nigeria, and police in Kebbi have carried out a series of operations against armed groups in the state in recent weeks.