A 4-year-old boy was allegedly kidnapped and killed by his neighbor in the Gwange area of Maiduguri, Borno State, after a N250,000 ransom was paid.
The boy’s father, Alhaji Bakura, said he has no idea what he did to his neighbor, Abati Buba, to cause him to commit the crime.
He explained that his son went missing on a Friday evening, March 5 and that the following morning, he received a call demanding a ransom for his son’s release.
Bakura claimed he paid the agreed-upon sum of N240,000, and the kidnappers assured him of his son’s safe return, only to discover later that the boy had been murdered and his body dumped near his home.
Officials from the Department of State Services were said to have arrested Buba.
“My late son was four years old. He got missing on Friday, March 5, and we searched everywhere but we couldn’t find him. The following morning (Saturday), we received a call from the kidnappers, demanding a ransom. We agreed to pay N250,000.
“We agreed to meet somewhere at Tashan Bama area but later he asked me to pay into his account which was sent to me. I made the payment.
“We were waiting for him to call us but he didn’t. I tried to reach him but he had switched off the phone. So, on Sunday morning I was going to the mosque to pray when I saw people gathered. I checked and it was my son’s dead body that was dropped near my house.
“We never knew it was my neighbor that abducted my son, collected ransom, and later killed him. The DSS arrested him (Abati Buba) and he confessed that he kidnapped Mohammed and killed him.” Alhaji Bakura narrated.
Reacting, Chairman of the Civil Society Organisation Borno State, Comrade Bulama Abuso, urged security agencies to immediately unravel circumstances surrounding the boy’s murder and ensure proper prosecution of the perpetrator.
“We are standing with the family. We condole with the parents and want to assure them that we shall pursue this case to a logical conclusion. We will ensure that justice is served.” he said.
The spokesperson of the State Police Command, ASP Sani Shatanbaya, confirmed the incident, adding that the culprit had been handed over to the police for investigation.
“It is true a suspect has been arrested in connection with that incident by DSS and subsequently handed over to us. I can confirm that he is currently in our custody. An investigation is still ongoing.”
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