SOKOTO, Nigeria – The Sokoto State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two officers involved in the alleged abduction of five children, including a baby less than two weeks old.
The spokesperson for the command, ASP Ahmad Rufai, announced on Thursday, May 2, 2024, that the suspects, identified as ASP Kulu and an accomplice named Elizabeth, were initially detained by the FCT Police Command before being transferred to Sokoto for further investigation.
The arrests were made following a critical intervention by passengers aboard an 18-seater bus traveling from Sokoto to Abuja.
Suspicions were raised during the seven-hour journey when the passengers noticed that the two women accompanying the children were unable to breastfeed the visibly distressed minors.
Their concerns prompted an immediate police response near Abuja, leading to the apprehension of the suspects.
ASP Rufai detailed that among the abducted were three toddlers under two years old and a five-year-old girl named Asmau Ya’u, who was reportedly taken while on her way to an Islamiyya school in Sokoto.
“Both the suspects and victims were transferred and handed over to the command from FCT police command for further investigation into the matter,” Rufai stated, emphasizing the serious nature of the allegations.
Further complicating the case, it was revealed that ASP Kulu, stationed at the Kubwa Division, had embarked on the alleged abduction mission without approved leave, indicating premeditation and disregard for police protocol.
Sirajo Madawaki, a state official of the Human Rights Network, asserted that the case had been transferred from Abuja to their Sokoto office, promising a thorough investigation. “The network will pursue the case to its logical conclusion and ensure that the suspects are prosecuted and the children reunited with their various parents,” Madawaki assured.
The community and authorities alike await further developments as the investigation progresses, hoping for justice for the abducted children and a swift reunion with their families.
