The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested four suspects in connection with the kidnapping and m8rder of a six-year-old boy, Shuaibu Safiyanu, in Darazo Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesperson of the command, CSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, March 22, 2025, said the victim’s father, Safiyanu Abdullahi, reported his son’s disappearance to the Village Head, Musa Isah.
The victim’s father later received a call from an unknown individual demanding a ransom of N3 million ransom, which was later reduced to N200,000.
A comprehensive investigation led to the arrest of Rabi’u Muhammadu, who was found to have the phone number and a bank account number used to make the ransom demands.
During interrogation, Rabi’u identified Samson Ozoichikel, 35, as the mastermind behind the kidnapping. He also implicated two additional suspects: Muhammad Sani and Musa Usman.
Unfortunately, the body of Shuaibu Safiyanu was discovered in a nearby bush, tied with a rope around his neck on March 21.
The remains were evacuated to the General Hospital, where a medical doctor confirmed his d3ath.
“In a significant development, the Bauchi State Police Command has successfully apprehended four individuals linked to the distressing case of the kidnapping and tragic loss of a 6-year-old boy, Shuaibu Safiyanu, in Sade village, Darazo Local Government Area,” the statement read.
“On March 20, 2025, at about 8:00 AM, Safiyanu Abdullahi, a resident of Sade village, reported the disappearance of his son, Shuaibu, to the Village Head, Musa Isah. Later that day, Abdullahi received a ransom demand of N3,000,000 from an unknown caller, which was eventually lowered to N200,000.
“Responding swiftly to this report, detectives of Darazo Divisional Police Headquarters launched a comprehensive investigation that led to a breakthrough at a POS site nearby.
“On March 21, 2025, around 10:00 AM, police operatives arrested Rabi’u Muhammadu, a 23-year-old from Leka village. He was found to have the phone number and account number 0145285130 OZOCHIKELU SAMSON UNION BANK PLC used to make the ransom demands.
“During interrogation, Rabi’u Muhammadu identified Samson Ozoichikel, 35, from Sade village, as the mastermind behind the kidnapping. He also implicated two additional suspects: Muhammad Sani, 25, ALIAS Jingi, and Musa Usman, 30, known as Kala, from Leka village Via Darazo. All four suspects are currently in custody.
“Sadly, on March 21, 2025, around 8:30 AM, the body of Shuaibu Safiyanu was discovered in a nearby bush, tied with a rope around his neck. The remains were evacuated to the General Hospital, where a medical doctor confirmed his d3ath and subsequently released to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rights.
“The Commissioner of Police for Bauchi State has reassured the community that the Command is dedicated to achieving justice in this heartbreaking case. The investigation remains ongoing, and the case will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough examination.
“The Police Command encourages the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to their nearest Police Station or via the following contact numbers: Police Emergency Number: 112 and Police Control Room: 08156814656
“The Bauchi State Police Command is committed to safeguarding the lives and properties of all citizens while ensuring that justice is served effectively.”
