Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
Gombe State command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has paraded an 18-year-old Hadiza Babayo of Lafiya Lamurde Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State in a case of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping of a five-year-old in Gombe.
The suspect was identified by seven-year old Muhammad, Modibo Muhammad. The mastermind was said to have picked the victim and delivered her to the kidnappers in a hotel in Nayi-Nawa quarters.
“Hadiza Babayo, my elder brother’s daughter went to pick my two kids Muhammad Modi and Aishatu Modibo from school; later Muhammad came crying and narrated that Hadiza came to pick them and she asked him to wait for her to get Keke Napep and since then they did not come back,” Modibo Muhammed Sarkin-Fulani father of the rescued kid told journalists in Gombe.
Addressing newsmen shortly after parading the arrested suspect, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Obed Mary Malum, explained that the arrest and interrogation of Hadiza Babayo by operatives attached to the Special Anti- Rubbery Squad (SARS) led to the arrest of one Bala Shuaibu who had earlier demanded N6million naira ransom for the release of the kid.
“Hadiza Babayo confessed to the crime and stated how she and Bala Shuaibu abducted the victim from Gombe High School, kept her in a hotel from where they demanded ransom of N6million from the victim’s father.
The SARS operatives responded swiftly, condoned off the hotel, arrested the suspected, Bala Shuaibu, and rescued the victim unhurt,” Malum said, adding that investigation was still ongoing.
The police also paraded two other suspects arrested in separate rape cases, stating that investigation to arrest another fleeing suspect who was reported by one Abdulmumini Sa’idu for raping a 15-year- old Hafsat Mamman. According to the PPRO, Hafsat went into the bush with six other girls to get native brooms in Tulmi village in Akko LGA and was pursued by one Isah Ali who was rearing cows in the bush.
“The suspect now at large, caught the victim and forcefully had canal knowledge of her against her will. The Commissioner of Police, Bello Makwashi, wishes to enjoin the people of Gombe to assist the police with genuine and timely information to serve the society better,” Malum said.