Police Rescue 3-Year-Old Girl, Arrest Aunt Over N10m Ransom Demand

A three-year-old girl has been rescued after spending about two weeks in captivity following her alleged abduction by her 26-year-old paternal aunt, who reportedly demanded a N10 million ransom from the child’s father.

The suspect, identified as Saadiya Sahabi, was arrested by operatives of the Zamfara State Police Command on November 10, 2026, at Bela District, Bungudu Local Government Area of the state.

The victim, Nabila Abdulganiyu, was subsequently rescued and reunited with her parents on November 12 after undergoing medical examination.

The police said the child’s father, Abdulganiyu Sahabi, a resident of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, reported her disappearance to detectives attached to the State Intelligence Department on October 30.

According to the police, the father told investigators that his daughter was abducted by an unidentified person on October 28.

He reportedly received a telephone call from a concealed number the following day, with the caller claiming to have the child in captivity and demanding N10 million for her release.

Following the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, A.M. Bello, directed the State Intelligence Department to launch an investigation and ensure the safe rescue of the girl.

After days of intelligence gathering, technical analysis and collaboration with security partners, detectives reportedly traced the alleged kidnapper to Bela District, where she was arrested on November 10.

The police subsequently identified the suspect as the victim’s paternal aunt, who shares the same biological father with the child’s father but has a different mother.

The command said the suspect allegedly confessed to her involvement in the kidnapping during interrogation.

However, investigators are still working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether other individuals participated in the alleged crime.

The police spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Friday, November 13.

The Commissioner of Police commended the detectives for what he described as their professionalism and intelligence-led operation, reiterating the command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and bringing perpetrators of kidnapping to justice.