In a shocking case of familial betrayal, the Borno State Police Command has apprehended five individuals linked to the abduction of an eight-year-old girl in Maiduguri, with the victim's own uncle identified as the mastermind.
The Abduction and Cryptocurrency Ransom
The incident, which has sent ripples through the Gomari area of Maiduguri, began on November 4, 2025. The young girl was seized while on her way home from school at approximately 3:00 PM. Her kidnappers quickly contacted the family, demanding a hefty ransom of three million Naira (N3,000,000).
In a modern twist indicative of evolving criminal tactics, the ransom was instructed to be paid through cryptocurrency. The family complied, leading to the child's release on November 7, 2025, after three harrowing days in captivity.
Police Crackdown and Arrests
Following a report at the Bulumkutu Police Division, the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, ordered an immediate, intelligence-driven investigation. A dedicated crack squad employed digital tracing and surveillance, leading to a series of arrests between November 29 and December 4, 2025.
The police spokesperson, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, named the five suspects in custody:
- Mustapha Mohammed, 20 years
- Ismail Shuaibu, 25 years
- Abdul Mohammed Bulama, 23 years
- Amina Ibrahim, 19 years
- Lawan Yusuf Hassan, 25 years
Detailed Plot and Familial Betrayal
Investigations revealed a carefully orchestrated plot. Mustapha Mohammed, the 20-year-old uncle to the victim, was the architect of the crime. He conspired with Ismail Shuaibu and Abdul Mohammed Bulama to execute the abduction.
The suspects picked up the child after school, using multiple tricycles (Keke Napep) and moving through various locations to confuse her and obscure their trail. In a deliberate attempt to erase her identity, they took her to a tailor, changed her into a plain new dress, and disposed of her school uniform.
The group then proceeded to a hotel along the Pompomari Bypass Area. Here, Amina Ibrahim played a key role by falsely presenting herself and Ismail Shuaibu as a married couple and the parents of the child to facilitate their stay. Tragically, the girl was drugged and held at the hotel until the ransom was secured.
Digital tracing by the police led them to the final suspect, Lawan Yusuf Hassan, an IT technician from Bulumkutu GSM Village. He was found to have facilitated and received the cryptocurrency ransom payment into his account.
Ongoing Investigation and Official Warning
The case remains under active investigation as police work to recover the ransom money and identify any other accomplices. Commissioner of Police CP Naziru Abdulmajid has commended his officers for their swift and professional work.
He reiterated the command's zero-tolerance stance towards kidnapping and all violent crimes, issuing a stern warning to criminal elements to desist or face the full wrath of the law. The public will be updated as the investigation progresses.
