Operatives of the Yobe State Police Command on Tuesday said it arrested four teenagers for allegedly kidnapping two minors in Potiskum Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects are Musa Adamu, 18; Aliyu Ibrahim, 17; Abubakar Zakari, 18; and Muhammed Saleh, 19.
The Command’s Spokesman, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, revealed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Damaturu.
Abdulkarim said the police trailed and arrested Adamu, Ibrahim and Saleh, who attempted to receive ransom from the parents of a 14-year-old boy they earlier kidnaped at Nahuta area.
He said: “The 14-year-old boy was with his sister outside their residence when he was lured and whisked away in a vehicle by the suspects on October 12.
“They later demanded for N5 million as ransom for the release of the victim, but the amount was bargained to N200,000 by his parents.
“Investigation reveals that the phone number used in the negotiations was stolen from one Hussaini Abdulazeez, who is currently assisting us in investigation.”
In a separate incident, the spokesman said Adamu, Ibrahim and Zakari had on September 8 allegedly connived and kidnaped a four-year-old boy in Bogojo area of Potiskum.
Abdulkarim said the suspects demanded a ransom of N10 million, which was later negotiated by the victim’s family to N200,000.
The spokesman said investigation revealed that the money was paid into the account of an unsuspecting Point of Sale Operator, who had no links with the syndicate.
He said that the suspects would be prosecuted after investigation.