Two kidnappers arrested for k!lling 12-year-old boy in Katsina after his parents failed to pay N25m ransom

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested two suspected kidnappers who abducted and k!lled a 12-year-old boy in Dankama, Kaita Local Government Area of the state after his parents failed to pay N25m they demanded for his release. 

The spokesperson of the command,  DSP Abubakar Sadiq, who paraded the suspects alongside other criminals before journalists at the command headquarters on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, said the suspects abducted the victim while he was on an errand.

“On 13th January 2025, the command successfully arrested two suspects in connection with the kidnapping and m8rder of a 12-year-old boy in Dankama town, Kaita LGA, Katsina,” the PPRO stated.

“The victim was kidnapped on 11th January 2025, at about 2:00 pm while on an errand to a nearby pharmacy for his mother. The kidnappers later, on the same day at about 9:00 pm, contacted the family via phone call, demanding a ransom of N25 million.

“Despite efforts by the family to negotiate, the kidnappers refused to release the boy and eventually k!lled him. His lifeless body was later abandoned and found on the outskirts of Dankama town.

“Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Aliyu Abubakar Musa, psc+, detailed the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) to conduct a thorough investigation.

“During the investigation, operatives successfully identified and apprehended two suspects, Muttaka Garba, alias Auta (24), and Yusuf Usman, alias Kwalwa (20), who confessed to the crime.

“The command has recovered the phone used to make the ransom demand as part of the exhibits in the ongoing investigation.

“The suspects will be charged to court for prosecution as soon as the investigations are concluded.”