Tobias Sylvester
Ogun State Police Command have arrested four suspected kidnappers for allegedly killing a seven-year-old boy, Abdulmalik Musa, after collecting a ransom of N300,000 from his parents.
The mastermind of the kidnap, Farouq Seidu, is a younger brother of the victim’s father, Abdulhamid Musa Chindo, a Bureau De Change operator.
The other kidnappers include Hassan Hussein, 30; Abeeb Nura, 24; and Mohammed Bello, 42.
The deceased was reported to have been kidnapped around 9 p.m last Wednesday, at his parents Sabo residence by suspected kidnappers allegedly contracted by his uncle, Faruq Seidu.
Briefing newsmen shortly after recovering the body of Malik from the Ogun River at Enugada Area, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said Seidu conspired to kidnap his nephew over the refusal of his brother to give him money to marry a third wife.
The suspects were said to have initially demanded a ransom of N5million after which they agreed to collect N300,000 from parents of the deceased.
Seidu, afraid that the deceased had recognised him, threw him off the bridge on the Ogun River in Lafenwa area.
Speaking with journalists after their arrest, Seidu denied being the mastermind of the kidnap incident. He said:
“I never asked anyone to kidnap my brother’s son; I only saw this one (pointing to another suspect) with the boy on a motorbike but I never discussed anything with them; I only greeted them and left.”
However, one of the suspects, Hassan Usain, insisted that Seidu contracted them to kidnap the boy before he personally killed him on the grounds that he had been recognised.
“He (pointing at Seidu) is a brother to Alhaji (the deceased’s father). He said he wanted to marry a third wife and Alhaji did not want to give him money, so he asked us to kidnap the boy.
“After Alhaji gave us money, Seidu came and said he was going to kill the boy because he could recognise any of us and I said why? But he never listened to me,” he stated.
The PPRO stated that the suspects murdered the victim after he recognised one of them as his uncle.
