The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered a staged kidnapping involving a two-year-old child and arrested suspects allegedly connected to the scheme, following an intelligence-led investigation by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
According to an official statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, operatives arrested 34-year-old Nansik Wuyep Sule in connection with the reported kidnapping of two-year-old Rito Jesse Davou.
The police said preliminary investigation revealed that Sule allegedly conspired with the child’s biological mother, Catherine Davou, to stage the kidnapping and give the impression that the child had been abducted. An initial ransom demand of ₦7 million was reportedly made as part of the scheme.
Further investigation, however, revealed that the child was allegedly being kept at Sule’s residence, where the ransom demand was subsequently increased to ₦15 million.
Another suspect, identified as Luka Emmanuel Butdam, was also arrested for allegedly making calls to the child’s grandmother in connection with the ransom demand.
Following the breakthrough, police operatives located the child and safely rescued him. The child was subsequently given medical attention before being handed over to his biological father.
The police said the investigation also led to a separate breakthrough involving a suspected kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate, with operatives arresting Idris Mohammed, alias Yellow, and Mohammed Bello Adams.
According to the statement, the suspects were allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a commercial driver, Idris Zakari Baba, and other related criminal activities.
Investigation reportedly showed that Baba was lured under the pretext of conveying Mohammed from Abuja to Zaria, before armed men allegedly intercepted him, took him into the bush and held him captive until a ransom of ₦3 million was paid.
The victim’s 2012 Toyota Corolla was subsequently traced to Bauchi State and recovered while Mohammed was allegedly attempting to sell the vehicle.
Further investigation also reportedly linked the suspects to the kidnapping of Pastor David Dahni and his driver, Abdullahi Abubakar, for which a ransom of ₦10.5 million was allegedly paid.
The Nigeria Police Force said investigations into the cases are ongoing to identify other individuals allegedly connected to the criminal activities and establish the full extent of the suspects’ involvement.
