A 22-year-old woman, Aisha Hashiru, has been apprehended by operatives of the Nasarawa State Police Command while attempting to flee with three siblings she allegedly abducted.
The children were rescued after Hashiru was arrested in the Mararaba area of Karu Local Government Area following a swift intervention by officers, who responded to an alarm raised by residents as she tried to lure the minors away.
The suspect was caught during a mob action at the busy Orange Market in Mararaba after allegedly abducting the girls, Fatima (4), Shafiyi (5), and Amina (6), from their mother’s residence.
According to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, the suspect had gained access to the children by pretending to buy them snacks, a tactic investigators believe may have been used in previous child disappearances.
“The children were rescued unharmed and have since been reunited with their families,” Nansel confirmed.
“She was about to be lynched when the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaba ‘A’ Division mobilised his team, rescued both the suspect and the children, and moved them to the station for safety,” he added in a statement on Friday.
Nansel further stated that the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lafia for further investigation.
Detectives have also been directed to revisit other cases of missing children in the state to determine if the suspect is linked.
Following the incident, the Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police praised the vigilance of Mararaba residents and urged communities to remain alert to suspicious activities.
He also reaffirmed the Command’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and ensuring the safety of children across the state.
