Police Free 7-Year-Old Boy from Kidnappers in Borno, Nab Five Suspects and Retrieve Ransom

The police in Borno State have successfully rescued a seven-year-old boy who was abducted in Maiduguri and apprehended five suspects involved in the incident.

ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, the command's spokesperson, announced this in a statement released on Thursday, March 26, 2026, revealing that authorities also confiscated N1.5 million from the suspects.

The boy's father reported the kidnapping, stating that his son was taken by unknown individuals in the Chad Basin area of Maiduguri on March 23.

Following the abduction, the kidnappers contacted the child's mother via a hidden phone number, demanding a ransom of N10 million, later reduced to N8 million through negotiations.

Eventually, the sum of N1.5 million was paid into a Point of Sale (POS) account specified by the kidnappers.

Through digital forensic investigations, law enforcement officials located and arrested Musa Mohammed Bashir, the POS operator involved in the transaction.

Further inquiries led to the capture of four additional suspects, alongside the safe recovery of the young boy.

In a statement, the Borno State Police Command, under the leadership of CP Naziru Abdulmajid, emphasized this achievement as a significant victory in their ongoing battle against violent crime, highlighting the successful recovery of the child, arrests made, and the reclaiming of the ransom amount.

Reports received at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) on March 24 indicated that the victim was kidnapped on the evening of March 23. The investigation revealed that the suspects reached out to the mother using a concealed number, insisting on an initial ransom of N10 million which was later negotiated downwards.

A total of N1.5 million was ultimately deposited into the suspects' designated POS account.

Conducting thorough digital forensic analysis, police detectives identified and arrested Musa Mohammed Bashir, the POS operator whose account had been used for receiving the ransom payment.

Subsequent operations yielded the arrest of four other suspects: Ali Adam (alias Abba), aged 24; Abubakar Sadiq, 29; Abba Goni Abba, 18; and Mohammed Musa (also known as Ale Mamman), 18, all residing in the Chad Basin and Bulabulin Alajiri regions of Maiduguri.

The abducted boy was rescued unharmed and taken to a hospital for necessary medical checks before being safely reunited with his family.

Moreover, the N1.5 million ransom was successfully retrieved.

Investigations are ongoing, and the suspects are expected to face charges in court.

CP Naziru Abdulmajid commended the operation's swift success and assured the community of the command's ongoing commitment to intelligence-led policing. He also encouraged the public to continue providing timely and actionable intelligence to the security services.

The police urge everyone to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the closest station, providing emergency contact numbers: 0806 807 5581 and 0802 347 3293.