Ex-aide to Katsina governor arrested in kidnapping of boy

A former aide to Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda has been identified as the suspected mastermind of a kidnapping syndicate that abducted an eight-year-old boy in Katsina metropolis, authorities said. Nura Aliyu Garwa, who previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Development, was arrested on May 23 by operatives of the Katsina State Police Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit in connection with the abduction.

The boy was kidnapped on May 13 while returning from an Islamic school in the Sardauna Estate area of the state capital. According to police, the abductors initially demanded a ransom of 50 million naira, and later collected 17 million naira after negotiations. Following the arrests, law enforcement recovered 7.5 million naira of the ransom, a Peugeot 307 vehicle, and a Boxer motorcycle. Six suspects were taken into custody, while one other suspect identified as Abdul remains at large.

The Katsina State Government confirmed on Monday that Garwa had been suspended from his position as SSA prior to the kidnapping allegations over separate accusations that he diverted empowerment materials meant for distribution to communities in Batsari...