How Borno man orchestrated abduction of his 8-year-old niece to extort her family

Friday, December 5, 2025 - The Borno State Police Command has arrested five suspects over the kidnapping of an 8-year-old girl in Maiduguri. 

The spokesperson of the command, ‎ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, December 4, 2025 said that one of the suspects, Mustapha Mohammed, an uncle to the victim, was the mastermind of the abduction. 

According to the PPRO, the girl was abducted while returning home from school on November 4, 2025.

The abductors demanded a ransom of N3m which was paid through cryptocurrency. 

“The Borno State Police Command, under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid psc, has recorded another significant breakthrough with the arrest of five (5) suspects in connection with the kidnapping of an 8yr old girl in Maiduguri,” the statement read. 

"On 4th November, 2025 at about 1500hrs, a report was received at the Bulumkutu Police Division regarding the abduction of an 8yr old girl of Gomari Area, Maiduguri, who was kidnapped while returning home from school.

"The abductors subsequently contacted the victim’s family and demanded a ransom of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000), which was paid through cryptocurrency. Following the payment, the victim was released on 7th November, 2025.

Upon receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police immediately directed the Command’s Crack Squad to carry out a discreet and intelligence-driven investigation into the matter.

"Following intensive tracking, surveillance and digital tracing, the police crack team successfully apprehended five suspects between 29th November - 4th December, 2025, who were found to have conspired in committing the crime.

"The suspects are: 1. Mustapha Mohammed ‘M’ 20yrs, 2. Ismail Shuaibu ‘M’ 25yrs, 3. Abdul Mohammed Bulama ‘M’ 23yrs, 4. Amina Ibrahim ‘F’ 19yrs, 5. Lawan Yusuf Hassan ‘M’ 25yrs.

"Preliminary police investigation revealed that Mustapha Mohammed, M’ of Gomari and an uncle to the victim, was the mastermind of the crime. He conspired with Ismail Shuaibu and Abdul Mohammed Bulama to execute the abduction.

"The suspects reportedly picked the child on her way back from school, lured her into different tricycles (Keke Napep) and moved through several locations to disorient the victim and prevent identification of the route. 

"The suspects later took the child to a tailor where she was changed into a new plain dress, after which her school uniform was disposed of.

"The suspects then proceeded to a hotel along Pompomari Bypass Area of Maiduguri with the assistance of one Amina Ibrahim F’, who falsely presented Ismail Shuaibu and herself as a married couple and parents of the child.

 "The investigation further revealed that the child was drugged and kept in captivity in the hotel for three days until the ransom was paid via cryptocurrency, after which the victim was released.

"‎Further digital tracing led the police to one Lawan Yusuf Hassan, m’ of Bulumkutu GSM Village, who claimed to be an IT technician and was found to have facilitated and received the ransom payment through his account.

"The case remains under active investigation, as efforts are ongoing to recover the ransom and identify other possible accomplices.

 "‎The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, psc, has commended the swift professionalism of the crack squad and reiterated the Command’s zero tolerance for kidnapping and all forms of violent crimes. He further warned criminal elements to desist from such acts or face the full weight of the law.

‎“‎Further developments will be communicated to the public as investigation progresses.”