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Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Police in Ogun State on Monday arrested four persons for allegedly kidnapping and killing a 7-year old boy, identified as Abdulmalik Musa.
The deceased was thrown off a bridge at Lafenwa area of Abeokuta after collecting a N300,000 ransom for his father, Abdul Hammed Musa, a Bureau De Change operator.
The deceased was reported to have been kidnapped around 9 p.m last Wednesday, at his parents Sabo residence by suspected kidnappers allegedly contracted by his uncle, Faruq Seidu.
Briefing newsmen shortly after recovering the body of Malik from the Ogun River at Enugada Area, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said Seidu conspired to kidnap his nephew over the refusal of his brother to give him money to marry a third wife.
He explained that Seidu and other suspects had initially demanded a ransom of N5m after which they later agreed and collected N300,000.
Seidu, afraid that the deceased had recognised him, threw him off the bridge on the Ogun River in Lafenwa area.
Fielding questions from journalists, Seidu denied being the mastermind of the kidnap incident.
“I never asked anyone to kidnap my brother’s son; I only saw this one (pointing to another suspect) with the boy on a motorbike but I never discussed anything with them; I only greeted them and left.”
Another suspect, Hassan Usain, countered Seidu, insisting that Seidu contracted them to kidnap the boy before he personally killed him on the grounds that he had been recognised.
“He (pointing at Seidu) is a brother to Alhaji (the deceased’s father). He said he wanted to marry a third wife and Alhaji did not want to give him money, so he asked us to kidnap the boy.
“After Alhaji gave us money, Seidu came and said he was going to kill the boy because he could recognise any of us and I said why? But he never listened to me, he stated.
