Two suspected bandits were neutralised and ₦10 million in ransom money was fully recovered after local hunters ambushed a gang of kidnappers in Falgore Forest, Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State.
The joint operational success, confirmed on Saturday, October 17, 2026, also led to the safe rescue and release of 45-year-old victim Kabiru Aliyu, who had been abducted on September 11, 2026, from Falgore Village.
According to statements released by security authorities, three armed bandits emerged from the deep thickets of Falgore Forest around midnight on Saturday, October 17, to collect the ₦10 million ransom demanded from the victim’s family.
Shortly after releasing the victim unharmed upon receiving the ransom, the suspects attempted to retreat into their hideout in the forest. However, they were intercepted and engaged in a gunfight by a vigilant group of local hunters, locally known as Yan Bula.
During the firefight, Two suspected bandits were neutralised on the spot. A third suspect escaped into the forest with gunshot injuries. The entire ₦10 million ransom sum was recovered intact.
Preliminary investigations identified one of the deceased suspects as Dogo Isah, a commercial motorcycle rider (Okada) hailing from Maigwanda Village in Kubau Local Government Area of neighbouring Kaduna State.
In an official statement signed on behalf of the command on Saturday, October 17, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Kano State Police Command, confirmed the incident and noted that the rescued victim, Kabiru Aliyu, was debriefed, medically examined, and safely reunited with his family.
”During the ambush, two of the suspected bandits were neutralised, while the third suspect escaped with injuries. The entire ransom sum of ₦10 million was recovered intact from the neutralised suspects,” CSP Kiyawa stated.
The Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the Yan Bula local hunters for their bravery and support of police-led operations, particularly Operation Kukan Kura, aimed at combating banditry and kidnapping along the Falgore Forest axis.
CP Bakori has since directed tactical teams, divisional police officers, and area commanders to intensify searches across the terrain to capture the fleeing suspect and recover their weaponry.
Additionally, Brigadier General Saka Jimoh, Commander of the 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, praised the coordination between the local vigilantes and formal security apparatus, reiterating the military’s resolve to sustain pressure on armed elements using the Falgore Forest region as a staging ground.
