Police smash gang that abducts children, demands recharged cards

The Kano State Police Command has smashed a kidnapping gang, which specialized in abduction children, then demanding for recharged cards as ransom.  

According to the Kano State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Magaji Musa Majiya, three members of the gang had been arrested and now in police custody. Also, seven victims had been arrested.

Parading the suspects at the  office of the Assistant-Commissioner of Police (ACP), in charge of Kano Metropolitan Area, Majiya said that  the leader of the syndicate, Khalifa Usman, has been arrested and presently in police custody. 

Majiya said: “Whenever the kidnappers abduct  a child, they would meet with other members of the gang, and start making phone calls to negotiate with the parents for  ransom to be paid before a child is released. They would take the victim and kept him or her in a village, before negotiating for ransom.

“The suspects would then continue to put pressure on the parents of the abducted children to agree to  the stipulated condition of paying the ransom in form of supplying  GSM recharge cards of various networks.”

The Police said that parents of the abducted children had to succumb to the pressure, buying large quantities of recharged cards, so that their children would be released.

Majiya stated that seven children, between four and five, were rescued. He further disclosed that one phone, three SIM cards and recharged cards were recovered and tendered as exhibits.

Majiya, also affirmed that all the suspects had confessed to the crime, while efforts are ongoing to attest other members of the gang still at large.

Majiya urged parents to ensure that adults escort their children to school and other places.