Operatives of the Kogi State Vigilante Service (KSVS) have arrested a 24-year-old suspected kidnapper, Muhammad Babuga, in Igabada, a boundary community between Kogi and Enugu states.
The service said officers from its Igalamela Command arrested the suspect at about 7pm on Thursday, October 8, 2026, following credible information.
KSVS Public Relations Officer, Idris S. Idris, announced the arrest in an official statement issued on Friday in Lokoja.
KSVS Says Former Captive Identified Suspect
According to the statement, Babuga allegedly confessed to membership of a kidnapping syndicate operating against travellers and residents in the area.
The service also said a victim who regained freedom after a ransom payment identified him as one of the gang members involved in the abduction.
The reported confession and identification form part of the allegations against the suspect.
The arrest comes amid concerns about kidnapping along routes in and around Kogi, including the abduction of passengers travelling in three buses on a Kogi highway and the reported kidnapping of a newlywed couple.
Vigilante Chief Commends Igalamela Officers
The Comptroller-General of the Kogi State Vigilante Service, Alhaji Ibrahim Usman Anataku, commended the Igalamela officers for their bravery, dedication and operational approach.
He urged them to sustain their efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating along the border axis.
Anataku also thanked Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for providing logistical support, which he said had strengthened the service’s operational capacity.
Other security interventions reported in the state include the rescue of kidnapped victims following a gun battle in Itobe and the interception of an arms cache during a security operation.
Residents Urged to Provide Credible Information
The Comptroller-General appealed to residents to remain vigilant and assist security agencies with timely, credible information to support crime prevention.
He reiterated the service’s commitment to disrupting criminal networks and protecting communities within its operational area.
The call for public cooperation follows other efforts to locate abducted travellers, including the rescue of kidnapping victims in a Kogi operation involving NYSC members.
The statement did not specify whether Babuga had been transferred to another security agency or charged in court.
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