The Kano State Police Command have arrested a suspected thug, Abubakar Ismail, popularly known as Sankolo, over the alleged kidnapping of a nine year old boy, Ubaidu Sammani, in the Rimin Kebbe area of the state.

The command disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Sunday by its Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Kiyawa. The arrest is the latest breakthrough in the investigation into the kidnapping that shocked residents of the community.

The suspect, aged 22, was arrested on Friday by operatives of the Zango Police Division following intelligence gathered after the arrest of another suspected thug, Umar Usman, popularly known as Taambo, on November 5.

The police had earlier reported the arrest of 25 year old Taambo on Thursday, over alleged involvement in thuggery, mobile phone robberies and attacks on security personnel in Rimin Kebbe and its environs. Information from that arrest led operatives to Sankolo.

The police said Sankolo was allegedly an arrowhead of thuggery related activities in Rimin Kebbe and its environs and a principal suspect in the kidnapping case, in which his alleged accomplices had already been charged to court.

The victim, Ubaidu, is the son of Alhaji Sammani, a resident of Rimin Kebbe. He was allegedly kidnapped on July 3, 2026, a case that had kept the family and the community in distress for months.

According to the statement, operatives acting on actionable intelligence arrested the suspect at about 9.30 pm on Friday, November 6, at Rimin Kebbe Quarters during an operation coordinated under the police initiative, Operation Kukan Kura. The operation was part of a renewed effort by the command to rid the area of thuggery and other violent crimes. The suspect was taken into custody without resistance.

Preliminary investigations showed that the suspect was allegedly involved in several cases of thuggery and mobile phone robbery in Rimin Kebbe and neighbouring communities.

The police said during preliminary investigation, the suspect confessed to involvement in several acts of thuggery and mobile phone robbery, including coordinating attacks, intimidation of residents and snatching of valuables. Investigators are now working to link him to other reported cases in the area.

The state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, commended officers of the Zango Division for their professionalism and urged residents to continue providing credible information to security agencies. He said the arrest showed the value of community partnership and timely intelligence in fighting crime. He reassured residents of the command commitment to tackle thuggery, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.

The command said the suspect remained in custody while investigations continued, adding that efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the gang and recover stolen property and weapons allegedly used in the crimes. It said the suspect would be charged in court after the conclusion of the investigation. The police urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements in their communities.