The Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended a 20-year-old suspect, Rabiu Safiyanu, over his alleged involvement in the abduction and death of a four-year-old boy.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, noting that the suspect was arrested by operatives of the ‘C’ Division following a complaint about a missing child.
According to Habib, the case was reported on March 21 by Salisu Yunusa, a resident of Nasarawa Madina Quarters, who alerted the police that his son had gone missing.
The father told investigators that he received a phone call on March 19 from an unidentified caller demanding N500,000 as ransom.
He said he paid N100,000 in a bid to secure the child’s release, but the boy was not returned.
Preliminary findings, the police said, led to the arrest of Safiyanu, who resides in the same area and is known to the victim’s family through the complainant’s younger brother.
Habib stated that the suspect allegedly admitted to carrying out the abduction and later killing the child before dumping the body in Warinje Hills, even as he continued to demand ransom.
“The remains of the victim were later recovered from a shallow grave in a decomposed state, with indications of strangulation. A rope suspected to have been used in the act was also found at the scene,” the statement added.
The police further noted that the Officer in Charge of the Police Clinic confirmed the victim dead, after which the body was documented and handed over to the family for burial on health grounds.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to handle the case for further inquiry and prosecution.
He also advised residents to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.
