The Katsina State Police Command has busted a kidnapping ring allegedly led by a 14-year-old girl who teamed up with three accomplices to abduct her younger sister and stage her own kidnapping in a bid to extort ransom money.
According to the command’s spokesperson, Abubakar Sadiq, who spoke during a press briefing on Wednesday outlining the command’s operations for May, the incident took place earlier in the year.
He said that on February 20, 2025, a man named Alhaji Badamasi Bala, a resident of Madaci Yan Nono Quarters in Katsina, filed a report with the police stating that his daughters, aged 14 and 4, had been kidnapped. The perpetrators demanded a ransom of ₦50 million for their release.
“Upon receipt of the letter, the Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Bello Shehu, detailed the command’s anti-kidnapping to investigate. Promptly, detailed investigation commenced.
“About four months from the date of the kidnapping, the eldest daughter surfaced. When questioned, she confessed to having conspired with three others to kidnap her 4-year-old sister and faked her own kidnapping,” he said.
Following the confession, police apprehended the other suspects, who are 25, 19, and 16 years old. The four-year-old girl was safely recovered.
He added, “They all confessed to the commission of the offence.
“During the investigation, one live round of 7.62mm ammunition was recovered from their possession. Investigation is ongoing.
“The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Bello Shehu, psc, fdc, MNIM, commends the officers’ efforts and urges the public to continue supporting the crime-fighting efforts of the command by reporting suspicious activities for prompt and decisive action.”
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