A 19-year-old kidnapper identified as Mohammed Abdullahi from Gujba local government area in Yobe State is currently in police custody. He is accused of kidnapping his 11-year-old neighbor for a ransom of ₦600,000, administering a lethal substance that resulted in the victim’s death, and subsequently burying him.

The Commissioner of Police in Yobe state, CP Ahmed Garba, paraded the suspect alongside 17 others at the Command’s headquarters in Damaturu, expressing concern over the reemerging criminal activities in the state.

He said, “Mohammed Abdullahi, a 19-year-old suspect from Buniyadi, abducted the son of their neighbour’s 11-year-old and later demanded a ransom of 600,000 naira. When the parents of the victim could not meet his demand, he later bought drugs and administered them to the victim to sleep and the victim later died.

“The suspect later buried the corpse in their house while his parents were away and was later apprehended by the police.”

Another suspect, identified as Sani Musa, aged 22 years, stabbed his victim, known as Sheba Simon, with a knife and snatched her cell phone. He was also trailed, arrested and paraded by the police.

Speaking with journalists, the suspect, Sani Musa, admitted to committing the crime, saying his intention was not to kill her but to collect the cell phone.

Other suspects, also paraded by the police were transformer vandals at the Pompomari community of the state capital and house burglars among other crimes, ranging from rape and armed robbery.

Items recovered include 3 AK47 rifles and live ammunition.

The CP, while expressing worry over the insecurity, urged the Yobe State government to provide empowerment and skills for the teaming youths in the state, to keep them busy instead of roaming the streets, taking drugs and causing mayhem in communities.