15-year-Old Kidnap Victim Allegedly Killed After N70m Ransom

A 15-year-old boy, Umar Sa’adu Moba, was allegedly killed by three men who had lured him into the bush and handed him over to a suspected kidnapping kingpin in Katsina State.

The incident occurred in Labo village, Batsari local government area.

An account contained in a viral video circulating on social media, said the three suspects, Abdullahi Ali, Mahammadu Ali and Mahammadu Sani, lured the teenager, who is from Jibia local government area, into the bush before handing him over to a suspected kidnap kingpin identified as Kachalla Abu.

The kidnap kingpin allegedly collected N70 million ransom before releasing the boy alive.

The three men were reportedly given N17 million as their share of the ransom and were instructed to return the teenager to his relatives.

However, the suspects allegedly decided to kill the boy out of fear that he would identify them and expose their involvement in his abduction.

The account further stated that, following an agreement reached with the boy’s family for his release, the suspected kidnap kingpin was contacted over the matter.

He allegedly disclosed the role played by the three men and subsequently devised a plan to lure them back under the pretext of giving them additional money from the ransom proceeds.

When the suspects reportedly arrived, they were apprehended and he later killed them after allegedly making a public confession in a video that subsequently went viral on social media.

The teenage victim and the three men were all said to be from Jibia local government area, while the incident took place at Labo village in Batsari local government area.

The circumstances surrounding the reported killing, including the identities and status of those responsible for the deaths of the suspects, could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.

Further details from security agencies are awaited to establish the facts surrounding the incident.