By CHRISTIANA LOT, Jos –
Plateau State Police Command has arrested nine suspects in connection with the kidnapping and murder of an 11-year-old boy, Tasiu Abdullahi, in Jos North Local Government Area.
The state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, disclosed this on Tuesday at the Command’s headquarters in Jos.
He said the suspects conspired to abduct the boy, demanded ransom from his family, and later killed him.
Adesina said, “On 16/12/2024 at about 2pm, we received a report from one Abdullahi Abubakar of Jos North LGA, stating that his 11-year-old son, one Tasiu Abdullahi, was missing.
“Later the same day, he was informed by his daughter that she received a WhatsApp message from a strange number, informing her that her brother was in their custody. They further demanded the sum of One Million, Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N1,250,000.00) as ransom for his release.
“After much negotiation, the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150,000.00) was deposited into an account sent by the kidnappers.
“After collecting the ransom, the kidnappers sent another WhatsApp message to the victim’s sister through a different phone number, informing her that they had released her brother to their neighbor, one Haruna Adamu, aka Baban Amir, who picked him up in his Green Honda vehicle.
“While trying to confront the said Haruna Adamu, an angry mob intervened and attempted to destroy the vehicle. Fortunately, our men from Nassarawa Gwong Division quickly rescued the situation and arrested the suspect.
“The Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) extended its investigation into the matter, and the following suspects were arrested: one Isiyaka Umar, Zaharadeen Muhammed, Mubarak Nura aka Muba, Ismail Auwal aka Dan Ruwa, Haruna Adamu, Simple Lucky Athagbolo, Mohammed Adamu Inuwa, Abdulbasit Abdulhamid, and Musa Ahmed Bello.
“Further investigation revealed that Isiyaka Umar, Zaharadeen Muhammed, Mubarak Nura, and Ismail Auwal conspired to kidnap the victim and killed him after collecting the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N150,000.00) from his family.
“The WhatsApp numbers used to message the victim’s sister were tracked, and analysis revealed that one Mohammed Abdullahi Inuwa, an Airtel registration agent, conspired with Abdulbasit Abdulhamid to create WhatsApp accounts with several numbers without the consent of the SIM card owners and sold them to Musa Ahmed Bello, who was actively involved in chatting with the victim’s sister.”
The Commissioner assured that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
He thanked the law-abiding citizens of the state for their cooperation in making the fight against crime easier for law enforcement agents.
“Within the period under review, the Plateau State Police Command recorded some operational successes. Our aggressive onslaught against criminals has led to massive arrests and the recovery of arms and ammunition.
“The Command remains committed to serving you better. The support of the media and the publicity given to Police activities has been tremendous. The public is now better informed about our efforts and the need to work together against criminal elements.
“Once again, I appreciate the good people of the state, the members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm, and the gallant, professional, and indefatigable police officers of the Command who have made these successes possible,” Adesina added.
