A 52-year-old man has been apprehended by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Bauchi State for allegedly kidnapping and killing a five-year-old girl after collecting ransom from her parents.
Kabiru Abdullahi, a resident of Narabi, in Toro Local Government Area of the State, who is the prime suspect, allegedly connived with a 45-year- old man, Alhaji Yawale to abduct the girl.
Nurudeen Abdullahi, the State Commandant, NSCDC, while parading the suspects on Monday, explained that the men abducted the child in front of their house and took her to a bridge where they were alleged to have strangled and put her in a sack.
According to the commandant, the suspects took the minor’s body and buried it in Kabiru’s kitchen and later contacted her father, a businessman and demanded N1m as ransom, saying that after negotiations, the abductors were paid N150,000.
The Commandant explained, “On April 23, 2022, around 7.30pm, information was received on the alleged kidnap of a five-year-old girl, Amina Abdullahi, at Sabon Gari Narabi, Toro LGA, Bauchi State.”
He further explained that the NSCDC officers attached to the Toro division swung into action and arrested Kabiru Abdullahi, 52, (direct neighbour) and Alhaji Yawale, 45.
The commandant stated that his accomplice, Alhaji Yawale, collected the sum of N150,000 under a tree in the bush at Narabi village.
He said that further investigation revealed that Amina was killed on April 27, 2022, and buried inside the kitchen of the prime suspect.
He explained that a team of investigators dug the sack from the ground and took the body to the General Hospital, Toro, where she was certified dead by a medical doctor.
He stated that exhibits recovered from the suspects are the sum of N42,000, fake $200 notes, charms, two MTN SIM cards, different car keys and phone numbers, saying that the suspects would be handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
In the same vein, the commandant stated that on 30th April, 2022, around 4pm, a suspected case of robbery along Diriko village was also reported to the agency, stressing that the NSCDC personnel attached to the Toro division immediately mobilised to the scene and arrested two persons: Isiya Lawal (30) and Musa Ado (20).
He explained that preliminary investigation revealed that the victim, Hamisu Halidu (18) of Tilden Fulani took the suspects on his Bajaj Boxer motorcycle to Dinya village, saying that on their way, the suspects attacked him with a stick and a knife with the intention of killing him and carting away his motorcycle.
He added that as they were dragging him, a good Samaritan came to assist the victim and in the process, the NSCDC arrived and arrested the suspects.