The Gombe State Police Command has arrested 21-year-old Mubarak Haladu for kidnapping, culpable homicide, shop breaking, and theft.
Haladu allegedly abducted his seven-year-old nephew, Haruna Bello, and demanded a ransom of N1.5 million from the boy’s father, Bello Haladu.
ASP Buhari Abdullahi, the Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the arrest on Friday, detailing the tragic sequence of events.
“Mubarak made a ransom demand through a phone call, leaving his brother devastated,” Abdullahi said.
The police launched a search operation, but the young boy was later found dead in an abandoned building.
Bello Haladu, the boy’s father, recounted the ordeal: “I received a call from Mubarak, demanding N1.5 million in exchange for my son’s freedom. I was devastated.”
The case was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), which revealed that Mubarak was also involved in other criminal activities, including breaking into shops and stealing about 30 mobile phones.
Investigators discovered that one of the stolen SIM cards had been used to make the ransom call.
“On October 18, 2024, the decomposing body of Haruna Bello was found in an uncompleted building in Dadin Kowa village,” Abdullahi stated. “We condemn this heinous act and assure the public that justice will be served.”
The police confirmed that Mubarak Haladu will face prosecution for his crimes.
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