- The spokesman said the state commissioner of police, Garba Ahmed, had commended the personnel involved in rescuing the boy and arrest of the suspect.
- He charged parents to ensure that their children were educated on basic safety protocols.
The Yobe police command says it arrested a 43-year-old suspect identified as Yusuf Ali in Damaturu, the state capital.
In a statement on Friday, Dungus Abdulkarim, the command spokesperson, said operatives rescued a 10-year-old boy from the suspect.
Abdulkarim said detectives tracked down the suspect in Darazo area of Bauchi State, through swift and strategic intelligence operations.
“The Yobe State Police Command has successfully cracked down on a kidnapping syndicate, arresting the prime suspect, 43-year-old Yusuf Ali from 250 Housing Estate, Damaturu,” the statement reads.
“On October 14, 2024, at about 1415 hrs, Mallam Hassan reported to the State Intelligent Department (SID) that his son, Abdullahi Hassan, had gone missing after school hours on October 13, 2024, at 17:15 hrs.
“Despite efforts to locate him, his whereabouts remained unknown until the abductor demanded N1.5 million for his release via phone call.
“Detectives swiftly coordinated intelligence-led operations, tracing the victim to a secured room in Kara Area, Darazo, Bauchi State. The prime suspect was apprehended while holding the victim hostage.”
Garba Ahmed, police commissioner in Yobe, lauded the outstanding efforts of officers who successfully rescued the abducted boy and apprehended the perpetrator.
Abdulkarim asked parents to educate children on basic safety protocols: “avoiding solo walks, isolated areas, gifts/rides from strangers, and reporting suspicious persons to authorities.”