The Nigeria Police Force has announced that it successfully disrupted a planned attack and child abduction operation in the Kasuwan Magani area of Kaduna State, rescuing 76 children and apprehending three suspects.
According to a statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the incident took place on January 5, 2026, around 8:00 pm. The police said actionable intelligence revealed that suspected bandits were preparing to target vehicles transporting children through the area.
Acting on the information, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the Kasuwan Magani Division swiftly deployed operatives to the location. Upon arrival, the police engaged the suspects and were able to prevent the attack.
As a result of the operation, 76 minors — comprising both boys and girls between the ages of seven and 20 — were rescued without injury.
Three individuals were arrested in connection with the incident. Police identified the suspects as Jonathan John, aged 25; Oliver Magaji, 27; and Bitrus Sawaba, 23.
Initial findings indicate that the suspects were allegedly moving the children to various parts of the country for child labour and other domestic-related activities.
The arrested suspects are currently in custody, while the rescued children have been taken to the Kaduna State Police Command headquarters for safekeeping as authorities work to locate their parents or guardians.
Police authorities said investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the operation and to track down other individuals who may have been involved. The suspects will be charged in court once investigations are concluded.
In a related development, the Nasarawa State Police Command earlier confirmed the successful rescue of four children who were abducted on New Year’s Eve.
The children had been declared missing since December 31, 2025, after disappearing from the Karu Local Government Area under suspicious circumstances. Their recovery followed a coordinated operation involving detectives from the Nasarawa State Police Command and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command.
The development was confirmed in a statement released on Tuesday by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ramhan Nansel, who noted that investigations were immediately launched after the case was reported at the New Nyanya Police Division.
