Kano State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed that it has arrested a 24-year old, Habibu Sale who kidnapped and allegedly killed eight-year old, Asiya Tasiu in Chikawa village, Gabasawa Local Government Area of the state, after collecting a ransom of N500,000.
The incident happened on June 6, 2020, after he kidnapped the minor, Asiya Tasiu and demanded the sum of N10 million as ransom but was negotiated to N500,000.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Abdullahi Haruna said the police succeeded in arresting Sale on November 7, after trailing him to several states of Jigawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Abuja, Abia and Kano where he was eventually arrested in front of his house.
DSP Haruna said the Police investigations revealed that Habibu killed the girl after collecting the ransom and buried her in a shallow grave at the outskirts of Chikawa village to cover his crime because the victim who lived in the same vicinity with him, could recognize and possibly expose him.
The PPRO added that Habibu kidnapped Asiya while she was sent on an errand in her Aunty’s place who happened to be his neighbour.
According to him, “the culprit kidnapped the little girl, Asiya Tasiu and demanded for the ransom of N10 million which was negotiated down to N500,000. They paid him the ransom but despite that he refused to release her and at the end he killed her and buried her in a shallow grave he dug.
“Since the matter was reported to us about 154 days ago, we have been trailing him.
“We trailed him to Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Abuja and even to the southern state of Abia State. But at the end we succeeded in arresting him. We arrested him Nov. 7.
“The CP has ordered that the body of the little girl be exhumed from the grave and handed over to the parents for burial rites,” DSP Haruna stated.
Upon interrogation, the suspected, Habibu Sale confessed to have carried out the atrocities alone and has squandered the N500,000 on harlots, drugs and gambling in Kaduna where he fled to hide himself for the whole matter to die down.
Meanwhile, father to the kidnapped and killed minor, Tasiu Mohammed Adamu who spoke to journalists at the Police headquarters said the kidnappers of his late daughter demanded for N10 million ransom but they later settled for N500,000 after series of negotiation.
“The only thing I can not explain is why they killed my daughter after paying the ransom to them. This is very wicked of them. I need justice and I believe police will ensure that justice is done for the sake of my daughter,” the deceased’s father, Adamu however stated.