Suspected kidnappers kill 7-year-old boy hours after demanding N2.5m ransom in Jos

A seven-year-old boy, Abdullahi Rabi’u, has been found dead hours after suspected kidnappers abducted him and demanded a ransom of N2.5 million in Majema area, along Ring Road, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The victim’s uncle, Sukairaj Danladi Gado, who narrated the incident, said the boy was sent on an errand to a neighbour’s house on Monday evening but failed to return after delivering the message.

“The family became worried when Abdullahi did not return home. We made efforts to locate him, but all our efforts proved abortive,” Gado said.

He said, “On Tuesday morning, we received a call from an unidentified telephone number. The caller demanded N2.5 million as ransom and informed us that the boy had been kidnapped.”

According to him, “We agreed to pay the ransom because we wanted the boy to return home alive. We were hoping that he would be released, but what happened later shattered our hopes.”

Gado said, “We were devastated when we received the news that his body had been found. It was a painful experience for the family because we had hoped to secure his release.”

He added, “The boy’s body was reportedly discovered on Tuesday evening in a narrow passage near his family’s residence. The incident has thrown the family and residents of the neighbourhood into mourning.”

Expressing concern over the killing, the uncle said, “We suspect that the people behind this incident may be familiar with the neighbourhood. We want security agencies to investigate the matter and ensure that those responsible are arrested.”

He further said, “We are appealing to the security agencies to do everything possible to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death and bring the perpetrators to justice so that other families will not experience this kind of tragedy.”

Efforts to obtain reactions from security operatives were unsuccessful as of press time. (Vanguard)