The Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended two suspects, Yahaya Zubairu and Babangida Muhammad, both aged 20, over the alleged abduction and killing of a nine-year-old boy, Barhama Abubakar.
The arrest was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Nafiu Habib.
According to the police, the suspects are related to the victim and reside within the same compound.
Habib said the child was reportedly abducted on March 21, 2026, after which the perpetrators demanded a ransom of N1m.
He explained that operatives of the command swiftly launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the recovery of the victim’s lifeless body.
A medical examination, he added, confirmed that the boy was dead.
The PPRO stated that preliminary findings revealed that the suspects allegedly conspired to abduct the child and caused his death by restraining him.
He further disclosed that one of the suspects, identified as a cousin of the victim, allegedly lured the boy under the pretext of running an errand to a nearby primary school, where he was subsequently taken to another location.
Habib noted that the suspects confessed during interrogation, claiming they targeted the victim because they believed his father was financially buoyant.
He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has urged parents and guardians to be vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.
The police spokesman added that the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and prosecution.
He reiterated the command’s resolve to ensure justice is served and called on members of the public to provide useful information that could aid ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the Oyo State Police Command has rearrested a suspected kidnapper who had earlier escaped from custody.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said the suspect was re-apprehended on March 17, 2026, at about 11:30pm during a stop-and-search operation by operatives attached to the Ojongbodu Area Command.