YOLA — An 18-year-old girl, Blessing John of Michika Local Government Area, Adamawa who abducted a 9-year-old Elkanah Samuel was arrested by the Police in Adamawa while eyeing a ritualist to sell a boy she kidnapped.
Elkanah was declared missing on the 19th February 2022 by his parents and all effort to locate his whereabouts proved futile, until on the 21st February 2022 when the girl who abducted him was arrested with the boy in Mubi.
Blessing, an applicant who hails from Unguwan Cashew along Michika General Hospital road, confessed that she abducted Elkanah from Michika with the intention of selling him in Mubi to buy a car and a house.
The girl with the connivance of Elkanah’s neighbour was said to have lured the boy upon concluding an arrangement with a buyer (names withheld) in Mubi to buy a boy on an amount yet to be ascertained.
Thereafter, she boarded a tricycle with the innocent boy to Unguwan Kara in Mubi described to her by the man, but unfortunately, she could not locate the house of the man.
She then disclosed her mission to someone, who immediately mobilized people and reported the matter to the police in Mubi. The operatives in Mubi sent a signal to Michika divisional police headquarters where the incident was confirmed.
The girl was subsequently arrested and brought to Michika Police Divisional headquarters alongside the boy; the girl then confessed to the crime, regretted her action, and pleaded for forgiveness.
According to the spokesman of the State Police Command, DSP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje said the suspect was arrested following a tipoff.
“The teenager got in contact with a kidnapper during her recent visit to Mubi when a friend told her she could make money by supplying children to ritualists and human traffickers.
“She took the little boy to Mubi to sell, but when she could not reach the buyers on phone, she decided to search for another buyer. She ended up talking to the wrong person, who in turn informed the police,” he said.
Nguroje said the suspect who is currently being investigated told police investigators that she abducted the boy to raise money to buy a car and live a luxurious life.
The PPRO said the suspect will be charged to court on completion of an investigation.
He extended the commendation of the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ahmed Barde, to the good Samaritan as well as the DPOs of Mubi and Michika respectively, and urged the public to continue in supporting police to rid the society of bad eggs.
The police spokesman also called on parents to look after their wards and report suspicious persons and movements to the nearest security post.
