A 26-year-old woman has been arrested in Zamfara State for allegedly abducting her three-year-old niece and demanding N10m from the child’s father for her release.
The police said the girl, identified as Nabila Abdulganiyu, was rescued during an operation in Bela District, Bungudu Local Government Area, on November 10.
The suspect, Saadiya Sahabi, is the younger sister of the victim’s father, Abdulganiyu Sahabi.
The Zamfara State Police Command disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Friday by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar.
Start tomorrow informed
Save your place for the morning brief. We’ll start emailing when delivery goes live.
Free. Confirm by email. Unsubscribe anytime.
According to the statement, the victim’s father reported the incident to detectives attached to the State Intelligence Department on October 30, two days after the child was allegedly taken.
He told investigators that he received a telephone call from a concealed number on October 29, with the caller claiming to have his daughter and demanding N10m for her release.
Following the report, the Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, directed the State Intelligence Department to investigate the incident and ensure the child’s safe rescue.
The police said intelligence gathering and technical analysis eventually led operatives to the suspect.
“Following days of sustained intelligence gathering, technical analysis and collaboration with strategic partners, the operatives successfully traced and arrested the suspect on 10th November 2026 at Bela District, Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The victim was also rescued safely,” the statement said.
The command added that the suspect and the victim’s father shared the same biological father but had different mothers.
It further alleged that the suspect confessed to her involvement in the crime during interrogation.
“During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to her involvement in the crime,” the police said.
The command said investigations were continuing to establish the full circumstances of the alleged abduction and identify other possible accomplices.
The rescued girl was taken for medical examination before being reunited with her parents on November 12.
“The rescued child was taken for medical examination and, after necessary assessment, was formally reunited with her parents on 12th November 2026,” the statement added.
The police commissioner commended the officers involved, attributing the successful rescue to their “professionalism, dedication and effective application of intelligence-led policing”.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, particularly vulnerable members of society, and bringing anyone found culpable of kidnapping to justice.
The police also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
Discussion0