Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 12-year-old boy, Dayyabu Abdullahi of Magama Gumau for kidnapping a three-year-old girl.
According to a statement issued by the command public relations officer (PPRO), SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil and made available to journalists in Bauchi yesterday, the suspect demanded a ransom of N150,000 before releasing the girl.
“The information available at the Command’s disposal is that on 23/11/2022 at about 1740hrs Yahaya Sale ‘m’ aged 56yrs of Magama Gumau while at his shop located at the same address received a threatening phone call from an anonymous person, demanding the sum of N150,000 as a ransom for the release of his kidnapped daughter one Mariya Yahaya ‘f’ aged 3yrs of same address.”
Wakil said investigation revealed that the suspect lured the victim to an isolated place near a football field at Kara area of Magama Gumau and called the victim’s father on phone and made the aforementioned demand.
“On hearing this, the victim’s father hung off the call, while the suspect kept calling but no response from the victim’s father. After a while, the victim’s father called the suspect on the phone and identified the suspect as Dayyabu through his voice, as the suspect is known by the victim’s father,” he added.
The suspect then kept mute and quickly hung off the call when he realised that the victim’s father uncovered his identity.
He said, “Consequently, he swiftly took the girl back to their house and told her family that he sighted her crying near a football field. In this manner, the victim’s family immediately reported the suspect to the police authority for necessary action.”
The police also said, “On interrogation, the suspect stated that he is from Kano State and came to Bauchi State in search of petty business with his siblings. From the little he earned while hawking fried yam in Magama Gumau, he raised money and bought a mobile phone Techno Camon model.
“The investigation also revealed that the suspect got to know about kidnapping when some time ago his friend was kidnapped in Kano State until a ransom was paid before he was released from his captors, that is how he learned about kidnapping and money must be paid to set a victim free.”
]He also said he would have used the ransom money to buy his desired clothes and phones, but cut short upon his arrest by the police operatives.
To this end, the commissioner of police, CP Aminu Alhassan assured the general public that they will continue to be updated as the investigation unfolds.
CP also reiterated the need for parents and guardians to maintain strict vigilance over the activities of thei
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