Police Nab Man Over Staged Kidnap
The Nigeria Police Force, through operatives of the Intelligence Response Team, said it has arrested a 34-year-old suspect in connection with the staged kidnapping of a two-year-old, Rito Davou.
In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, disclosed this on Friday in a post made on the Nigeria Police Force’s official X account.
Iniedu noted that the NPF had also separately arrested members of a suspected kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate in another intelligence-led investigation.
The statement said, “In the first case, operatives arrested Nansik Wuyep Sule, 34, in connection with the reported kidnapping of two-year-old Rito Jesse Davou. Investigation revealed that Sule allegedly conspired with the child’s biological mother, Catherine Davou, to stage the kidnapping and create the impression that the child had been abducted, with an initial ransom demand of N7m.
“Further investigation revealed that the child was kept at Sule’s residence, where a subsequent ransom demand of N15m was made. Another suspect, Luka Emmanuel Butdam, was also arrested for allegedly making calls to the child’s grandmother in connection with the ransom demand.”
The statement noted that the child was subsequently located “and safely rescued and, after receiving medical attention, handed over to his biological father.”
In a separate investigation, the police arrested Idris Mohammed (a.k.a. Yellow) and Mohammed Adams over their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a commercial driver, Idris Baba, and other related criminal activities.
“Investigation revealed that the victim was allegedly lured under the pretext of conveying Mohammed from Abuja to Zaria before being intercepted by armed men, taken into the bush and held until a ransom of N3m was paid.
“The victim’s vehicle, a 2012 Toyota Corolla, was subsequently traced to Bauchi State and recovered while Mohammed was attempting to sell it. Further investigation also linked the suspects to the reported kidnapping of Pastor David Dahni and his driver, Abdullahi Abubakar, for which a ransom of N10.5m was reportedly paid,” the statement added.
