The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Adamawa State Command, has arrested two men suspected of being members of a kidnapping syndicate and recovered ₦34 million in cash from them.
The suspects, identified as 55-year-old Alhaji Jaye and 34-year-old Buba Bello, were intercepted by immigration officers on September 6, 2026, during an operation in the state.
The NIS said the two men were found in possession of the substantial amount of cash, which raised suspicion about the source and intended use of the money.
During preliminary questioning, the suspects reportedly claimed that the ₦34 million was intended to pay ransom for the release of a relative allegedly held by kidnappers.
However, the explanation did not prevent their arrest as immigration authorities commenced further inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the possession and movement of the money.
The NIS said the suspects and the recovered cash and other items had been directed to be handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Adamawa State Command, for detailed investigation and necessary legal action.
The development comes amid continuing efforts by security agencies in Adamawa and other parts of the North-East to disrupt kidnapping networks, ransom payments and other forms of organised criminal activity.
In a separate operation, officers of the NIS Adamawa State Command also intercepted 17 irregular migrants at Rumde Baru in Yola South Local Government Area of the state.
The group comprised 13 Cameroonian nationals—eight males and five females—and four male nationals of Chad.
According to the Immigration Service, the interception formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen border management, monitor migration movements and prevent the exploitation of Nigeria’s immigration system by criminal elements.
The command raised concern over what it described as a changing pattern in the activities of undocumented migrants in Adamawa.
The NIS observed that irregular migrants were increasingly moving away from hotels, where they were easier to monitor, to private and unregistered apartments within the state capital.
The development, according to the Service, poses additional challenges to immigration monitoring and national security, as such locations can make it more difficult for security agencies to establish the identities, movements and activities of persons residing there.
The NIS said it would continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations across the state while collaborating with other security agencies to address security and migration-related challenges.
The two separate operations, the Service said, underscored the importance of sustained inter-agency cooperation in tackling kidnapping, irregular migration and other threats to public safety in Adamawa State.