A 26-year-old woman, Saadiya Sahabi, has been arrested for allegedly abducting her three-year-old niece and demanding a N10m ransom for the child’s release.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that the suspect, who is the younger sister of the victim’s father, was arrested on November 10 at Bela District, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, while the child was successfully rescued.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Yazid Abubakar, in a statement on Friday, said the victim’s father, Abdulganiyu Sahabi, reported her abduction to detectives attached to the State Intelligence Department on October 30, two days after she was allegedly taken.
Abubakar said the father told investigators that he received a telephone call from a concealed number on October 29, during which the caller claimed to have his daughter in custody and demanded N10m for her release.
Following the report, Abubakar said the Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, directed the State Intelligence Department to begin an investigation and ensure the child’s safe rescue.
The statement read, “Following days of sustained intelligence gathering, technical analysis and collaboration with strategic partners, the operatives successfully traced and arrested the suspect on November 10, 2026, at Bela District, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The victim was also rescued safely.”
The police identified the suspect as the victim’s paternal aunt, adding that she and the child’s father shared the same biological father but had different mothers.
It further stated that during interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to her involvement in the crime.
The command said investigation was ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and identify other people who might have participated in the alleged abduction.
On the child’s return, the police said, “The rescued child was taken for medical examination and, after necessary assessment, was formally reunited with her parents on November 12, 2026.”
The police urged members of the public to remain vigilant, strengthen cooperation with security agencies and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station.
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