An 18-year-old man named Abba Aliyu has been arrested by the Sokoto State Police Command for kidnapping his neighbor’s 2-year-old son. The suspect, who resides in the Badon Hanya area of Sokoto, was accused of abducting the young boy with the intent of extorting money from the child’s family.
According to a statement from the police spokesperson, ASP Ahmed Rufai, the case was reported to the police on October 16, 2024, by Ibrahim Shehu, the father of the kidnapped child. Shehu informed the police that his son, Saidu Ibrahim, had gone missing three days earlier on October 13, 2024, around 6:00 PM.
Despite efforts by the family to find him, there was no trace of the boy until they received a chilling phone call from the abductor, demanding a ransom of N2 million for the child’s safe return.
Negotiations took place between the kidnapper and the family, and the ransom amount was reduced. Eventually, the family paid N500,000, after which the child was released.
Following the ransom payment, police detectives launched an intensive investigation, using advanced intelligence techniques to track down the suspect. They located him in the Badon Hanya area, behind the Zamson filling station, where he was arrested.
During the investigation, the suspect confessed to the crime, admitting that he kidnapped the child to extort money from his parents. The police also recovered a Tecno Android phone from him, which was used to make the ransom demands.
The Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Musa, praised the swift actions of the police officers involved in solving the case and emphasized the importance of community cooperation in fighting crime.
He also provided safety tips for parents to protect their children from criminal activities, encouraging them to teach their kids about personal safety and the importance of avoiding strangers.
