Kidnappers Kill 12-Year-Old Boy In Katsina After Demanding ₦25 Million From His Family

A 12-year-old boy, Salihu Sadi, who hails from Dankama, a town located within the Kaita Local Government Area of Katsina State, has been reportedly killed by suspected kidnappers.

The state command of the Nigeria Police Force confirmed the sad development during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters on Wednesday, January 15.

The force noted during the exercise that two suspects involved in the criminal act had been arrested.

According to the Police Spokesman in the state, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, the assailants initially kidnapped Sadi on January 11, 2025, at approximately 20:00 hours while running an errand to a nearby pharmacy for his mother.

Sadiq revealed that the alleged kidnappers contacted the victim’s family later that same evening, around 21:00 hours, demanding a ransom of ₦25 million.

He further stated that despite the family’s attempts to negotiate, the kidnappers ultimately refused to release the boy and tragically took his life, leaving his body abandoned 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,” the police spokesperson noted.

The arrest of these individuals constitutes a significant achievement for the command during the past week, during which a total of 26 suspects were presented at the Command Headquarters in Katsina for a range of offences.