Police confirm abduction, release of 4-yr-old

The Police have confirmed the abduction and subsequent release of a four-year-old boy in Zaria, Kaduna State.

This followed the payment of N50,000 ransom by his father, Malam Ismail Musa of Layin Mahauta, Tudun Jukun, Zaria, Kaduna State.

ASP Muhammad Jalige, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Kaduna State Command, confirmed the incident on Tuesday in Kaduna.

Jalige, however, said that further investigation into the matter was ongoing, as a suspect was already in police custody and helping with the investigation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspect, one Sani Uwal-luwa of Layin Mahauta, Tudun Jukun, was arrested by the police as the alleged mastermind of the act.

A female friend of Uwal-luwa allegedly confirmed to community leaders and the police that the suspect allegedly brought the boy to her for safekeeping, but she rejected the request.

Narrating his ordeal to NAN, the victim’s father said that he paid N50,000 as ransom to secure the release of his son.

Musa said that he discovered the boy missing on his return from Friday prayers on May 14.

According to him, the kidnappers forcefully took the boy away on a motorcycle.

“Later in the day, we went in search of the boy from house-to-house with ward heads and village heads. We went to hospitals and police stations, but we could not trace him.

“While we were receiving neighbours who had come to sympathise with us, we received a letter which said we should not bother about looking for the missing child and that he was with them.

“The letter also demanded N2 million as the ransom to be paid and a phone number to reach the abductors for further negotiations,” he said.

Musa said the development was reported at the Tudun Wada Police Division in Zaria, where he was advised to call the number.

He explained that after negotiations, he agreed to pay the abductors N60,000 and they agreed that the money should be deposited at a designated account, allegedly domiciled at Guaranty Trust Bank.

The father noted that the sum of N50,000 was, however, paid into the account and the boy was subsequently released on May 20.