Six-year-old rescued by Benue Civil Protection Guards, arrests Kidnapper

By Tolu Temidire

A six-year-old boy, Aondonenge Guda, has been rescued from an alleged kidnap attempt by operatives of the Benue State Civil Protection Guards (BSCPG), who arrested a 25-year-old suspect, Desmond Kwaza, in Buruku Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect was intercepted at Tyowanye while allegedly trying to board a commercial vehicle to Makurdi with the child after reportedly luring him away from his community with sweets.

Commander of the BSCPG, Captain Ayuma Ajobi (retd), who disclosed the development, said the suspect was apprehended following a tip-off from vigilant youths in Tyowanye, who became suspicious of his movement with the child.

Ajobi said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect allegedly intended to transport the boy to Makurdi before handing him over to an alleged buyer in Ikpayonge, Gwer East Local Government Area.

"This is a major breakthrough for the state's security architecture. If our operatives had not acted promptly, the child could have disappeared without a trace and possibly ended up in the hands of traffickers or ritualists," he said.

The Commander explained that the boy, who is from Abua Mbagen in Buruku LGA, was deceived with the promise of sweets and biscuits before being taken out of his community.

According to him, the suspect admitted during interrogation that he travelled from Katsina-Ala LGA to Buruku with the intention of abducting a child.

"Because we do not have prosecutorial powers, we will hand him over to the Nigeria Police for further investigation and prosecution. We are also working to identify and apprehend the intended recipient of the child," Ajobi added.

The child's uncle, Mr. Pahar Yarkwan, said the family became alarmed after the boy failed to return home from Abua Market, where he had been sent to buy food seasoning.

He said frantic efforts to locate the child were still ongoing when operatives of the Civil Protection Guards arrived with him later that evening.

"They told us they found him with a young man who had tricked him with sweets and biscuits was taking him to Makurdi. We thank God and the Civil Protection Guards for rescuing him before it was too late," Yarkwan said.

He praised the vigilance of residents and the prompt response of the security outfit, urging the Benue State Government to strengthen the organisation with more support and logistics.

Meanwhile, the suspect reportedly confessed that he agreed to abduct the child after allegedly being promised a financial reward by a man in Ikpayonge.

"The man, who was once my neighbour, asked me to bring him a little boy and promised to pay me. I regret my action. I was driven by the need for money," Kwaza reportedly confessed.

The suspect is expected to be handed over to the police for further investigation as authorities intensify efforts to track down the alleged accomplice.

In a related development, the BSCPG also arrested one Musa Ali for alleged motorcycle theft.

The suspected was nabbed at a public function while trying to unlock the said motorbike after claiming that someone stole the motorcycle he went to the event with.

According to the BSCPG Commander, the suspect would have been lynched by a mob but for the quick intervention of his men who rescued him and got him arrested.