A 16 year-old Junior Secondary School (JSS) 3 pupil, Abubakakar Abdulbasir, has been arrested after kidnapping a four year-old girl, named Halimah, in Marabar Kankara town in Malumfashi LGA of Katsina State, Northwest Nigeria.
Platforms Africa reports that Abdulbasir who admitted that he threatened to kill the girl who is his cousin if the ransom of N70,000 he demanded is not paid, was paraded by men of the Kastina state Police Command.
A woman passing by an uncompleted building in Marabar Kankara town in Malumfashi LGA of Katsina State rescued the four-year-old girl kidnapped and hidden in the building, aiding the arrest of the kidnapper.
READ ALSO: Teenagers Behead Girlfriend for Money Rituals
How Nigeria Popular First Class Monarch, Emir of Bungudu, was Kidnapped
Babies Kidnapped As Bandits Raid Nigeria’s Kaduna Hospital
According to the police report, the woman who was aware of the disappearance of the four years old girl was passing by an uncompleted building in the area, when she saw the missing girl in the company of Abubakakar Abdulbasir.
When the woman quizzed Abdulbasir on what he was doing with the little girl, he said, they were just chatting but told the woman that she can go back home with the girl if she wants and she gladly did.
On taking the girl home and narrating the encounter to her parents, the father immediately reported the case at the Malumfashi Police Station, and Abdulbasir’s father was invited for questioning concerning the whereabouts of his son, who was then at large.
Abdulbasir who later returned to the house was informed by his mother that his father was invited by the police and is being questioned over his whereabouts. So, Abdulbasir decided to turn himself in and confessed to committing the crime.
Abdulbasir Abubakakar, the 16-years-old JS 3 student in his confession said: “Yes it is true that I kidnapped Halima, my cousin. I hid her in an uncompleted building outskirt of town and then put a phone call through to her parents demanding N70,000.
“I also threatened that they may lose her if they fail to provide the money. Immediately, I terminated the call, my conscience prick me that this path I have toed is dangerous and against my religion.
“I am very sorry for my action. I am asking for forgiveness. I have realized my mistakes.”
Narrating the incident to pressmen, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Superintendent of Police, SP Isah Gambo, while parading the suspect at the state police command said:
“One Sanusi Abubakar of Marabar-Kankara village in Malumfashi LGA reported to the police that since his 4-years-old daughter, Halimatu Sanusi got missing and all efforts to trace her whereabouts proved abortive.
“He later received a phone call that his daughter has been kidnapped, and he is being threatened to pay the sum of seventy thousand naira (N70,000) or risk losing her.
“Subsequently, the Police Anti-Kidnapping unit, swung into action, carrying out a diligent and meticulous investigation which led to the arrest of the mastermind, one Abubakar Abdulbasir, ‘M’, aged 16yrs of Marabar-Kankara village. In the course of the investigation, the suspect confessed to the commission of the offence.”
