Police have confirmed the suspected kidnapping of six-year-old twins by their family's security guard in Minna, Niger State. The boys, identified as Umar and Anas, were reportedly taken on Sunday afternoon from their residence in the Brighter area of the state capital.
Their father, a businessman known only as Danjuma, said he became worried when he could not locate his children and later discovered that the security guard, Sani Abdulrahman, was also missing. Abdulrahman had reportedly told household members he was taking the children out on a motorcycle to celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir festivities while their father was away.
When the children failed to return after several hours, family members launched a search and visited hospitals across the metropolis, fearing a road accident. The search took a troubling turn when the family received information indicating that kidnappers were holding the children. Danjuma said he subsequently received a telephone call from suspected kidnappers who claimed to be operating from the Erena forest in Shiroro Local Government Area and demanded a ransom for the children's release.
Danjuma appealed to the state government, security agencies, and the public to assist in securing the safe return of his sons. “I am appealing to the government and security agencies to help rescue my children. We are also calling on Nigerians to pray for their safe return,” he said.
The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident. Abiodun said preliminary investigations revealed that the security guard took the children under the guise of celebrating the Salah festivities. “The security man, Sani, pretended that he was taking the children out for Salah celebrations in town, but since then, they have not returned. Investigation has commenced, while efforts are ongoing to locate the children,” he said. The police spokesperson added that efforts were ongoing to track down the suspect and rescue the children unharmed.
This incident is the latest in a series of abductions reported in parts of Niger State, where security agencies continue to battle kidnapping and banditry, particularly in communities bordering forests across the state.
