Niger Police Arrest Man Accused of Hiring Kidnappers to Kill Farmer and Take Over His Land
A farmer’s killing in Niger State has led investigators to a man accused of masterminding the attack, with police alleging that he later took possession of the victim’s farmland.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Godwin Yahaya, was arrested over a conspiracy to kidnap and kill Jonah Isah, a large-scale farmer from Zawudna village in Munya Local Government Area.
According to the Niger State Police Command, Yahaya allegedly contacted a man known as Bashiru in 2024 to arrange Isah’s abduction for ransom. Bashiru remains at large.
The plan reportedly culminated in a deadly raid on June 26, 2026, when Bashiru and other members of his gang stormed the farmer’s residence around midnight.
Rather than simply abducting their target, the attackers reportedly killed Isah and took members of his family hostage, along with three other people.
The gang subsequently demanded N2.1 million in ransom before the captives were released.
The case took a new turn after the rescued victims reportedly identified Yahaya as the person who had arranged the operation. They told investigators that the kidnappers had named him as the individual behind the attack.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the police spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed that operatives of the Department of State Services attached to the Kuchi area arrested Yahaya on September 27, 2026.
He was subsequently handed over to the Sarkin-Pawa Police Division for investigation.
During questioning, Yahaya reportedly admitted to engaging Bashiru to abduct Isah, claiming that the intention was to share the ransom proceeds.
However, investigators suspect that the motive may have extended beyond the money demanded from the victim’s family.
The police said their findings indicated that Yahaya took control of Isah’s farmland for his own use following the farmer’s death.
He has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Minna, where further investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, security operatives are working to locate Bashiru and other suspected accomplices as authorities seek to establish the full circumstances surrounding the killing, the abduction of the victims and the alleged attempt to take over the deceased farmer’s land.
(Source: Daily Post)
