From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
The Department of State Service (DSS) Kano Command, yesterday disclosed the arrest of five kidnappers of a six-year old boy, Abdallah Abdulkadir Salisu of Gadon Kaya quarters, in Kano State.
Our correspondent reports that the DSS officer, who led the operation said the five kidnappers, who are barely 16 to 21 years of age bracket, all residents of Doalrayi quarters, met their waterloo when they called the father of the boy, Alhaji Abdulkadir Salisu to collect the ransom.
According to the officer, the incident occurred on July 16 when one Abdulhadi Ibrahim, who is a cousin to the kidnapped child, connived with four others to abduct the boy, in order to get ransom to celebrate Sallah festivities.
However, Ibrahim, who had access to the victim’s house as a cousin, succeeded in abducting the child, he called one Yusuf Abubakar and Adamu Shehu, a tricycle operator, to transport the boy to their hideout at bypass area on a Keke Napep.
It was gathered that the victim remained in the custody of Yusuf Abubakar, where he stayed there for three days while negotiations between the kidnappers and the child’s father was ongoing to collect the ransom.
The DSS officer further stated that the kidnappers initially demanded N5 million ransom but eventually pegged the money at N150,000.
He added that the DSS received the complain of the abduction of the boy from his father, saying that as soon as it received the information, the command swung into action and trailed the kidnappers up to the point of payment of the ransom and apprehended them.
He said the boy was rescued unharmed while all the kidnappers were apprehended and detained in the DSS command in Kano.
The officer also disclosed that the parents of the kidnappers, who got the shocking information, had contributed money among themselves to refund the N150,000 ransom to the father of the kidnapped child.
