A couple and their daughter who were abducted last month in Katsina State have been released after the alleged payment of N50 million ransom by their family members.

Anas Ahmadu, 33, was abducted along with his wife, Halimatu, and their little daughter, Jidda, on August 26, at about 3 a.m., at the Filin Canada estate, Katsina metropolitan area.

The abductors killed a local security operative during the operation before whisking the victims to an unknown destination.
Shortly after, the abductors were said to have called family members of the victims, demanding a ransom payment of N600 million.

The police command in the state, while confirming the incident, said efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims and arrest the perpetrators.
According to the spokesperson for the police command, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, he said: “On Tuesday, August 26th, 2025, at about 0300 hrs, some suspected gunmen armed with dangerous weapons attacked the residence of one Anas Ahmadu, age 33, of Filin Canada Quarters, Katsina State, kidnapping him, his wife, and his daughter, one Jidda Anas.

“Also, the hoodlums fatally shot one Abdullahi Muhammad, age 25, of the same address, a member of the local vigilante, and escaped the scene before the arrival of police operatives.

“Upon receipt of the report, the DPO quickly rushed to the scene, restoring normalcy in the area as investigation commenced with a view to tracking and arresting the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

“The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Bello Shehu, in company of the command management team, Area Commander Metro, DPOs within the metro, as well as the command OC Anti-Kidnapping, visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.

“He then deployed additional personnel and assets to ensure the prompt rescue of the victims and arrest of the perpetrators.

“Furthermore, the command calls on members of the public to at all times report suspicious and criminal activities to the nearest police station or make use of the command’s emergency line for prompt and decisive action against all forms of criminal activities.

“We further call on anyone with useful information to come forward and assist the ongoing investigation. All information given will be treated with the utmost confidentiality,” he added.
But sources close to the victims’ family said Ahmadu, his wife, and daughter were released late Thursday evening, after N50 million was paid to their abductors.

It was learnt that a series of negotiations were held between the family of the victims and their abductors before arriving at the said amount.
One of the sources also said that the abduction may have been targeted at the victim’s wife, as her father is known to be a very wealthy person in the state.

There was also speculation that an informer close to the victims may have tipped the kidnappers to carry out their nefarious activity, as the victims resided right in the heart of the state capital.

The development has raised concerns about the role of informants in fueling cases of abductions and other related security challenges in the state.
As at the time of report, the police command in the state had yet to respond or issue a statement regarding the victims’ release.