A 49-year-old man identified as Yusuf Umar, has been arrested by the Bauchi State Police Command over the alleged attempt to sell his 5-year-old daughter for N1.5m.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa Muhammad, who disclosed this on Thursday, May 30, 2024, said the suspect took the child away from her mother, his estranged wife, under the pretence that he would take her to his sister in Bauchi town.
“Detectives of the command arrested one Yusuf Umar 'm' aged 49yrs of Dagu village via Warji LGA of Bauchi State. The suspect, who claimed to be a staff member with the Warji Local Government area council, was arrested for trafficking his 5-year-old biological child,” the CP stated.
"On the 26th of May, 2024, the accused took the child (a 5-year-old daughter) from the estranged wife in Warji LGA under the pretence that he would take her to his sister in Bauchi town.
"Unknown to the mother he had already arranged to hand over the girl to an unknown person, not knowing that he is a Police detective, Where the defendant was arrested in a Hotel in Bauchi after he bargained for one million five hundred thousand naira (N1.500,000) to give up his biological daughter.
"Additionally, the defendant to ensure his interest sent the sum of forty thousand naira for transportation fees to the person who linked him up with the buyer.
“I have directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Intelligence Department (CID) to discreetly investigate the crux of the matter to unravel more motives behind the defendant's actions, after which he will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation for the established offence.”