Police rescue four-year-old boy, arrest two kidnap suspects in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested two suspected kidnappers and rescued a four-year-old boy following a swift, intelligence-led operation in Bauchi.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib, in a statement issued on Friday, said detectives from the State Intelligence Department successfully tracked and apprehended the suspects after receiving a kidnapping complaint from the victim’s father.

“On June 10, 2026, the Command acted on a formal complaint of kidnapping lodged by a 45-year-old father, a resident of Gida Dudu Housing Estate, Bauchi. The complainant reported that his son, Musa (surname withheld), a four-year-old boy, was abducted from the frontage of their residence,” the statement said.

Investigations revealed that one of the suspects, identified as Muhammad Usman, 39, allegedly lured the child away from his home on June 9 and subsequently took him to the residence of the second suspect, Hayatudeen Ahmad, 40, who resides in the same estate.

According to the statement, to conceal his crime, Muhammad Usman deceived Hayatudeen Ahmad, claiming the boy was his sister’s son and that she was critically ill. He further claimed it was too late to travel to Kano that night and pleaded with the second suspect to keep the child overnight, promising to take him to their family in Kano the following day.

The police further disclosed that the suspect later wrote a ransom note demanding N5 million from the victim’s family, attached with the phone number for the payment.

The child has since been reunited with his family,” the statement added.

The statement said both suspects remained in police custody and were cooperating with investigators.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Aliyu Sani-Omolori, commended the detectives for their professionalism and prompt response.

The police commissioner also advised parents and guardians to educate their children against trusting strangers, remain vigilant, and promptly report suspicious activities involving children to the nearest police station.

Police rescue four-year-old boy, arrest two kidnap suspects in Bauchi