Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 12-year-old minor, one Dayyabu Abdullahi of Magama Gumau in Toro LGA of the state for allegedly kidnapping a 3-year-old girl.

The Information available at the Command’s disposal is that on 23/11/2022 at about 1740hrs, Yahaya Sale, aged 56 years of Magama Gumau while at his shop located at the same address, received a threatening phone call from an anonymous person, demanding the sum of N150,000 as a ransom for the release of his kidnapped daughter, one Mariya Yahaya, aged 3-year-old of the same address.

According to the Command PPRO, SP Ahmed Wakili, 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 aforementioned demand.

The PPRO added that “On hearing this, the victim’s father hung off the call, while the suspect kept calling but no response from the victim’s father. After a while, the victim’s father called the suspect on phone and identified the suspect as Dayyabu through his voice, as the suspect is known by the victim’s father.”

“The suspect then kept mute and quickly hung off the call when he realized that the victim’s father uncovered his identity. Consequently, he swiftly took the girl back to their house and told her family that he sighted her crying near a football field”, he added.

The PPRO further stated that “In this manner, the victim’s family immediately reported the suspect to the Police authority for necessary action. On interrogation, the suspect stated that he is from Kano state and came to Bauchi state in search of petty business with his siblings.”

“From the little, he earned while hawking fried yam in Magama Gumau, he raised money and bought a mobile phone Techno Camon model”, he also stated.

The Investigation also revealed that the suspect got to know about kidnapping when some time ago his friend was kidnapped in Kano state until a ransom was paid before he was released from his captors, that is how he learned about kidnapping and money must be paid to set a victim free.

He also said he would have used the ransom money to buy his desired clothes and phones, but cut short upon his arrest by the Police operatives.

To this end, the Commissioner of Police CP Aminu Alhassan assured the general public that the Command will continue to update them as the investigation unfolds.

He added that he will like to use the medium to reiterate the need for parents and guardians to maintain strict vigilance over the activities of their wards.

The CP was quoted saying, “It is pertinent now more than ever that the whereabouts of wards and the company they keep are constantly kept in check by all those responsible, as the investigation continues into the matter after which the suspect will be charged to court.”

Criminal liability has two major things: ‘Actus Reus’, and ‘Men’s Rea’, as the CP reiterated that the Command will not pre-empt investigations yet, despite violating human rights and the dignity of the girl child. (Saturday Tribune: Text, Excluding Headline)

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