Having rescued the kidnap victim, the detectives also nabbed the suspected abductor identified as Zakariyya Muhammad.
The suspect, according to the police, is a resident of Sabuwar Gandu Kwarin Barka Quarters in Kano State.
Disclosing the suspect’s arrest in a press statement, on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the Police Command’s spokesman, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said: “On July 4, 2024, at about 4 pm, a report was received from a resident of Sabuwar Gandu Kwarin Barka Quarters, Kano that he received a phone call from an unknown person, who claimed to have kidnapped his 2½-year-old daughter, Amina and demanded ₦2m ransom for her release.
“On receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Salman Dogo Garba, mobilized a team of the Anti-kidnapping Squad, led by SP Aliyu Muhammad Auwal, with a directive to rescue the victim within 24 hours, and to ensure the arrest of the suspect.
“Consequently, the squad swung into action, and with sustained efforts, coupled with intelligence-led technical operations, it led to the arrest of the suspect, Zakariyya Muhammad, ‘M’, aged 22 years, of Sabuwar Gandu Kwarin Barka Quarters, Kano on July 5, 2024, by 8 am, i.e. 16 hours after the kidnap incident.
According to the statement, the suspect, who coincidentally is a neighbor to the victim, confessed to having singlehandedly committed the offense and led the detectives to where she held the victim hostage.
“Subsequently, the victim was rescued unhurt in an isolated area in their neighborhood and rushed to the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, where she was examined, certified healthy, and discharged,” the statement added.
However, the CP assured the public that this despicable act would not be tolerated, promising that the command would continue to leverage all its available assets to forestall all criminal activities and bring the perpetrators to justice.
While appreciating the law-abiding people of the state, the CP urged the community to remain vigilant and cooperate with the police in preventing and reporting criminal activities to help create a safer environment for all.
