The Katsina State Police Command has announced the arrest of two suspects linked to the kidnapping and murder of a 12-year-old boy in Dankama town, Kaita Local Government Area.
The victim, identified as Salihu Sadi, was abducted on January 11, 2025, around 8:00 PM, while running an errand to a nearby pharmacy for his mother.
Speaking during the parade of the suspects at the Command Headquarters on Wednesday, Police Spokesperson DSP Abubakar Sadiq revealed that the kidnappers contacted the boy’s family at approximately 9:00 PM the same day, demanding a ransom of N25 million.
Despite the family’s attempts to negotiate, the suspects refused to release the boy. Tragically, they killed him and abandoned his body, which was later discovered on the outskirts of Dankama town.
“Upon receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police Katsina State Command, CP Aliyu Abubakar Musa, detailed the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) for a thorough investigation.
“During investigation, the operatives on January 13th, 2025, successfully identified and apprehended two suspects, (1) Muttaka Garba alias Auta, m, age 24, and (2) Yusuf Usman alias Kwalwa, m, age 20, who confessed to committing the crime.
“The command has recovered the phone used to make the ransom demand as part of exhibits in the ongoing investigation. The suspects will be charged to court for prosecution as soon as the investigations are concluded,” he added.
Their arrest is part of the major successes recorded by the command within the week under review, where a total of 26 suspects were paraded for various crimes before the Command Headquarters in Katsina.