The Nigeria Police Force has arrested Abubakar Usman, popularly known as Siddi, a suspected bandit and kidnapper who is famous for appearing in a viral TikTok video flaunting firearms and large sums of ransom money.
Police said Siddi was arrested on Friday, December 19, 2025, alongside another suspect, Shehu Mohammadu, also known as Gide, during a covert operation in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The arrest was carried out by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID–IRT), working in collaboration with the Kwara State Police Command.
According to the police, the suspects were intercepted along the Komen–Masallaci axis of Kaiama LGA.
Items recovered from them include a brand new red Honda Ace 125 motorcycle valued at N1.85 million, N500,000 in cash, and an AK-47 rifle with a magazine loaded with 20 rounds of live ammunition.
Police said investigations revealed that the motorcycle was purchased with proceeds from ransom payments, while the cash was unspent ransom money.
Preliminary findings showed that the suspects are members of a notorious banditry and kidnapping gang responsible for violent crimes across Katsina, Zamfara, Niger and Kwara states.
The police added that the gang is also involved in supplying arms and ammunition to other criminal elements.
Both suspects are currently cooperating with investigators to help track down other members of the syndicate and recover additional weapons, the police said.
Reacting to the arrests, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the operatives for their professionalism and reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks across the country.
