Police Arrest Bandit Seen Flaunting Firearms in Viral Video, Recover AK-47 and Cash

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

The Nigeria Police Force has announced a significant breakthrough in its fight against banditry and kidnapping, with the arrest of two notorious kingpins responsible for violent crimes across Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, and Kwara states.

According to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), attached to Kwara State, carried out a covert operation in collaboration with the Kwara State Police Command, leading to the arrest of Abubakar Usman, alias Siddi, 26, and Shehu Mohammadu, alias Gide, 30, along the Komen-Masallaci axis in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on December 19, 2025.

Items recovered from the suspects include a brand-new red Honda Ace 125 motorcycle valued at ₦1.85 million, reportedly purchased with ransom proceeds, ₦500,000 in cash, and an AK-47 rifle with a magazine loaded with 20 rounds of live ammunition.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are members of a notorious banditry and kidnapping gang terrorising communities across the affected states. Further findings indicate that the gang also supplies arms and ammunition to other criminal elements.

Both suspects are currently cooperating with investigators to facilitate the arrest of other members of the syndicate and the recovery of additional weapons. Abubakar Usman was recently identified as the individual seen in a viral video flaunting firearms and large sums of money on social media.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, commended the operatives involved for their professionalism and dedication, reaffirming the Force’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks and ensuring public safety.