A man accused of abducting a four-year-old boy in Kano State has confessed that he carried out the act in a desperate bid to offset a N100,000 debt.
The suspect, Aminu Tukur, who is currently in the custody of the Department of State Services, reportedly admitted to masterminding the kidnap of little Muhammad Haruna to raise funds for his financial obligations.
Speaking while in detention, Tukur claimed he acted alone and was not influenced by any accomplice.
“I did it by myself because I was owing N100,000.
Although I demanded N15m as ransom, I had resolved that if the money was not paid, I would return the child safely without harming him,” he was quoted as saying.
The suspect explained that he exploited his familiarity with the victim’s family to gain access to the child. According to him, he visited the boy’s residence in Minjibir Local Government Area under the guise of taking his measurements for new clothes.
He said he subsequently took the child to his sister’s residence after allegedly telling her that the boy’s mother was ill and had been hospitalised.
“That was how I kept him with me for four days,” he added.
The boy’s father, Haruna Hamza, expressed gratitude to the DSS for rescuing his son barely four days after he was whisked away.
“I received my son on February 12, 2026. He was rescued by the DSS and he is in good health,” Hamza said.
He further disclosed that he was later invited by the police on Friday in connection with the incident.
“I was at the police station from about 1:30 pm to 4 pm, where they took my statement and that of a woman they said was linked to the kidnapping syndicate,” he stated.
It was gathered that the DSS swung into action following a formal complaint that the child had been abducted by suspected kidnappers who demanded N15m for his release.
