By Nkechi Eze
The Nigeria Police Force has foiled an attempted attack and a planned kidnapping of children in the Kasuwan Magani area of Kaduna State, rescuing 76 minors and arresting three suspects in a swift intelligence-led operation.
According to an official statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the incident occurred on Monday, 5 January 2026, at about 8:00 p.m., when the Kaduna State Police Command received credible intelligence that suspected bandits were planning to attack motorists conveying children through the area with the intention of kidnapping them.
Upon receipt of the intelligence, the Divisional Police Officer of the Kasuwan Magani Division was immediately mobilised alongside a team of police personnel and deployed to the area to forestall the planned attack. On arrival, the police team engaged the suspects and successfully repelled them, preventing the execution of the plot.
The operation led to the rescue of seventy-six children, made up of both males and females, aged between seven and twenty years. The Police confirmed that all the rescued children were unharmed.
In the course of the operation, three suspects were arrested and identified as Jonathan John, aged 25; Oliver Magaji, aged 27; and Bitrus Sawaba, aged 23. Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were transporting the children to different parts of the country for the purpose of child labour and other domestic work.
The suspects are currently in police custody, while the rescued children are being kept safely at the Kaduna State Police Command Headquarters pending the arrival and proper identification of their parents or guardians. The Police said investigations have commenced to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and to apprehend other possible collaborators involved in the crime.
The Force added that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
Reiterating its commitment to the protection of lives and property across the country, the Nigeria Police Force urged members of the public to continue to support law enforcement agencies with timely and credible information to aid proactive policing and crime prevention.
