The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper and recovered a cache of firearms, ammunition, and millions of naira in cash following a lone motor accident in the state.
The incident occurred on Monday, August 18, 2025, at about 9:08 a.m. when operatives attached to Garaku Division received a distress call from Angwan Mayo community regarding a lone crash involving an Opel Vectra with registration number PLATEAU BLD 566 ST near the VIO checkpoint.
According to police sources, two occupants of the vehicle fled the scene immediately after the accident. On arrival, operatives met a crowd of residents, while a vigilant Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO) had already recovered and handed over a G3 rifle and a large sum of cash found in the car.
A subsequent search of the accident vehicle at the police station led to the recovery of the following items:
* One AK-47 rifle
* One Type 06 rifle
* One G3 rifle
* Three magazines and 57 rounds of live ammunition
* Cash totaling N6,908,150
Acting swiftly, police operatives in collaboration with the military launched a manhunt for the fleeing suspects. One of them, identified as Mohammed Tahir of Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, was arrested after escaping into a nearby forest.
During interrogation, Tahir confessed to being part of a seven-man kidnap gang responsible for the abduction of a lawyer in Nyanya, Abuja, for which ransom was collected. He revealed that he and another accomplice were on their way to Jos to share the proceeds of the crime before the crash. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other gang members still at large.
The suspect and exhibits have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Lafia, on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, CP Shettima Jauro Mohammed, for further investigation.
In a statement, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Ramhan Nansel, reaffirmed the police’s commitment to combating violent crime in the state. He commended members of the public for their vigilance and urged continued cooperation with security agencies to ensure safety across Nasarawa and its environs.
