Police foil robbery operation, arrest suspects over toddler abduction in Jigawa

The Jigawa State Police Command says it has foiled a suspected armed robbery operation and arrested two people over the alleged abduction of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy in separate operations across the state.

Police spokesperson SP Lawan Shiisu Adam said officers from the Violent Crime Response Unit were on a routine patrol around the Rashid Shekoni Teaching Hospital area in Dutse at about 3:00 am on Thursday when they stopped a tinted Sharon Galaxy vehicle carrying seven occupants whose movements appeared suspicious.

According to the statement, “Upon being signaled to pull over for routine security checks, the driver refused to comply and sped off, prompting the operatives to give the vehicle a hot chase.”

Police said the chase ended at Baranda Bush, where “the suspects eventually stopped the vehicle at Baranda Bush and opened fire on the police team in a desperate attempt to evade arrest.”

The officers returned fire, forcing the suspects to abandon the vehicle and flee into the bush. One suspect, who was found injured inside the vehicle, was taken to hospital but was later confirmed dead by a doctor.

Police recovered two machetes, three sticks, ropes and a Tecno mobile phone from the vehicle. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects, while investigations continue.

In another operation, police arrested two suspects over the alleged abduction of a toddler from the paediatric ward of Babura General Hospital.

The arrest followed a report that the child had gone missing from the hospital. Acting on intelligence, officers arrested 20-year-old Khadija Aliyu on the outskirts of the town with the missing child.

Further investigations led to the arrest of Sadik Sale Yahaya, a nursing officer at Babura General Hospital, who police alleged conspired with the woman to abduct the child.

Police said the woman confessed to taking the child to an orphanage in Kaduna State with plans to sell the boy for N2 million.

The rescued child has been placed in protective custody and will be reunited with the family after the necessary procedures are completed. Both suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.

Jigawa State Commissioner of Police Tijjani Murtala praised the officers involved in both operations and urged residents to continue providing useful information to help fight crime in the state.