The Sokoto State Police Command has arrested two suspected kidnappers in separate operations and rescued a 10-year-old boy, Muhammad Sufiyanu, who was allegedly abducted in Tangaza Local Government Area of the state.

According to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufai, one of the suspects, Abdullahi Buba, also known as “Osho,” was arrested on August 8 during a raid on a criminal hideout in Tudun Doki Village, Gwadabawa LGA.

Police said Buba is a member of a notorious kidnapping syndicate operating in parts of Sokoto State and is assisting investigators in tracking other members of the group who remain at large.

In a separate operation, police rescued Sufiyanu after his uncle, Sani Ibrahim, reported him missing at Gidan Madi Police Station on August 11.

Detectives from the Gidan Madi Division later intercepted two men riding a motorcycle at about 11pm. The suspects reportedly fled after being challenged by the officers, abandoning a concealed sack.

Police officers subsequently discovered the boy alive and responsive inside the sack. He was taken to Gidan Madi General Hospital for medical attention and was later discharged.

The police said the boy told investigators that one of the suspects allegedly lured him into a room, administered a sedative and forced him into the sack.

One suspect has been arrested and reportedly confessed to the alleged crime, while crime scene investigators have visited the area as part of the ongoing investigation.

Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Hassan Shaffa, commended the officers involved in the operations and urged residents to continue providing security agencies with timely and credible information.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property across Sokoto State.