The Bauchi State Police Command has said that its operatives have arrested four suspects in connection with the kidnap and murder of a six-year old boy in Sade Village in Darazo Local Government Area of the State.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, disclosed this in a media statement made available to journalists in the State on Saturday.
Wakil, a Chief Superintendent of Police, said that the four suspects conspired among themselves and kidnapped the boy and demanded N3 million ransom from his family.
He said that they later negotiated with the family and agreed that the sum of N200,000 be paid as ransom.
According to him, following a report of the incident to the Police, detectives of Darazo Divisional Police Headquarters launched a comprehensive investigation that led to a breakthrough at a Point Of Sale (POS) site nearby.
He said that the swift response of the detectives led to the arrest of the four suspects.
“In a significant development, the Bauchi State Police Command has successfully apprehended four individuals linked to the distressing case of the kidnapping and tragic loss of a 6-year-old boy, Shuaibu Safiyanu, in Sade village, Darazo Local Government Area.
“On March 20, 2025, at about 8:00an, Safiyanu Abdullahi, a resident of Sade village, reported the disappearance of his son, Shuaibu, to the Village Head, Musa Isah. Later that day, Abdullahi received a ransom demand of ₦3,000,000 from an unknown caller, which was eventually lowered to ₦200,000.
“Responding swiftly to this report, detectives of Darazo Divisional Police Headquarters launched a comprehensive investigation that led to a breakthrough at a POS site nearby.
“On March 21st, 2025, around 10:00am, police operatives arrested Rabi’u Muhammadu, a 23-year-old from Leka village. He was found to have the phone number and account number 0145285130, OZOCHIKELU SAMSON, UNION BANK PLC, used to make the ransom demands,” he said.
Wakil said that during interrogation, Rabi’u Muhammadu identified Samson Ozoichikel, 35, from Sade village, as the mastermind behind the kidnapping. He also implicated two additional suspects: Muhammad Sani, 25, ALIAS Jingi, and Musa Usman, 30, known as Kala, from Leka village Via Darazo, pointing out that all four suspects are currently in custody.
“Sadly, on March 21st, 2025, around 8:30am, the body of Shuaibu Safiyanu was discovered in a nearby bush, tied with a rope around his neck. The remains were evacuated to the General Hospital, where a medical doctor confirmed his death and subsequently released the body to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rights.
“The Commissioner of Police for Bauchi State has reassured the community that the Command is dedicated to achieving justice in this heartbreaking case. The investigation remains ongoing, and the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough examination,” he added.
He said that the Police Command encourages the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to their nearest Police Station or via the following contact numbers: Police Emergency Number: 112 and the Police Control Room: 08156814656.
The PPRO assured that the Bauchi State Police Command is committed to safeguarding the lives and properties of all citizens while ensuring that justice is served effectively.
