Police Arrest 12-year-old Boy For Kidnaping A Toddler In Bauchi
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 12-year-old boy over the alleged abduction of a toddler in Magama Gumau, a community in the Toro Local Government Area of the state.
It was learnt that the boy lured the little girl to a building nearby their house and pushed a call through to her father demanding a ransom.
The State Police Spokesman, SP Ahmad Wakil, who confirmed the development in a statement issued on Saturday in Bauchi, explained that the suspect lured the victim into an isolated area and placed a telephone call to her father demanding N150,000 as a ransom for the captive’s release.
The statement read: “A discreet investigation revealed that the suspect lured the victim to an isolated place near a football field at Kara Area of Magama Gumau and called the victim’s father on phone and made the demand.
“On hearing the demand, the victim’s father hung up and refused to take subsequent calls.
“After a while, the victim’s father called the suspect and identified him through his familiar voice.
“He called his name, but the suspect kept mute, hung up, swiftly took the girl to her parent’s house where he told the family that he sighted her crying near a football field,’’ Wakil stated.
The police spokesperson added that the victim’s family immediately reported the incident to the police for necessary action.
When interrogated, the suspect confessed to the crime and told the police that if he had succeeded, he would have used the ransom money to buy clothes and phones.
“Investigation also showed that the suspect got to know about kidnapping for ransom when some time ago, his friend was kidnapped in Kano State.
“Those who kidnapped his friend were paid ransom before he was released and that was how the suspect learned that money must be paid to set a kidnap victim free,’’ he stated.
Wakil further disclosed that the police commissioner in the state, Aminu Alhassan, admonished parents and guardians to maintain strict vigilance over their wards and children.