Four suspects have been detained by the Bauchi State Police Command in connection with the kidnap and killing of a six-year-old boy, Shuaibu Safiyanu, at Sade village, Darazo Local Government Area.
The statement issued on Saturday by the spokesman for the Command, CSP Ahmed Wakil, said the kidnap occurred on March 20, 2025, when the victim’s father, Safiyanu Abdullahi, reported to the Village Head, Musa Isah, that his missing son had been kidnapped.
Later that day, Abdullahi was said to have received a call from an unknown individual demanding a ransom of N3 million, which was later reduced to N200,000.
Following the report, detectives from the Darazo Divisional Police Headquarters launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of 23-year-old Rabi’u Muhammadu at a Point of Sale (POS) center on March 21.
Police discovered that the number used to make the ransom call was registered in the bank account of a Samson Ozoichikelu, 35, of Sade village.
Ozoichikelu was discovered to be the mastermind after further questioning, and two others, Muhammad Sani (alias Jingi), 25, and Musa Usman (alias Kala), 30, were arrested.
The corpse of the juvenile victim was found in a bush on March 21 at about 8:30 am with a rope tied around his neck.
His corpse was taken to the General Hospital, where a medical doctor declared him dead before being released to his family for burial as Islamic tradition requires.
The Police assured the public that the case will be thoroughly investigated, with the suspects being handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for investigation.
This is even as the command urged residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies via the emergency lines 112 or 08156814656.
It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property while ensuring justice in the case.
