Sokoto State Commissioner of Police Ahmed Musa on Friday reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to sustained action against violent criminals.
In a statement made available to journalists on Friday night by the command public relations officer ASP Rufae Abubakar, the police in the state has cracked down on a kidnapping syndicate and arrested a prime suspect, 18-year-old Abba Aliyu who was a neighbour to the complainant in Badon Hanya area Sokoto.
According to the statement, on the 16th of October 2024, at about 12 pm Mr Ibrahim Shehu reported to anti-kidnapping unit attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Sokoto that his son, Saidu Ibrahim 2 years old had gone missing since October 13, 2024.
The statement further stated that despite efforts to locate him, his whereabouts remained unknown until the abductor demanded N2 million ransom for the release of his victim via a phone call.
“The sum of five hundred thousand Naira (N500,000) was, however, paid to the suspect before the 2-year-old victim regained freedom,” says the statement.
The command, however, revealed that detectives from the state CID swiftly coordinated intelligence-led operations, tracing the location of the suspect at Badon Hanya behind Zamson filling station which led to his arrest.
“During the investigation, the suspect confessed to having kidnapped the victim and held him hostage with a view to extorting money from his parent and a brand mobile phone was used in demanding ransom which was recovered from the suspect when he was arrested by the police” says the statement.
The state Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Musa, reiterated the command’s commitment to combating crime and praised his personnel efforts in ensuring the successful arrest of the suspected kidnapper.
The statement, however, highlighted some safety tips for parents to safeguard their children against criminal elements which should be strictly enforced.
