By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested three suspects over an alleged staged kidnapping involving a two-year-old child and separately apprehended two suspected members of a kidnapping and armed robbery syndicate linked to the abduction of a commercial driver.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, 28 August, 2026:saying operatives of the Intelligence Response Team made the arrests during two separate intelligence-led investigations.
In the first case, police arrested 34-year-old Nansik Wuyep Sule over the reported kidnapping of two-year-old Rito Jesse Davou.
Investigation, according to the police, revealed that Sule allegedly conspired with the child’s mother, Catherine Davou, to stage the abduction and create the impression that the child had been kidnapped.
The police said the suspects initially demanded ₦7 million in ransom before allegedly increasing the demand to ₦15 million.
“Further investigation revealed that the child was kept at Sule’s residence,” the Force said.
Police also arrested Luka Emmanuel Butdam for allegedly making ransom-related calls to the child’s grandmother.
Following the investigation, operatives located and rescued the child. He was given medical attention before being handed over to his biological father.
In a separate case, the IRT arrested Idris Mohammed, also known as Yellow, and Mohammed Bello Adams over the alleged kidnapping of commercial driver Idris Zakari Baba and other criminal activities.
According to the police, Baba was lured on the pretext of transporting Mohammed from Abuja to Zaria before armed men intercepted him and took him into the bush.
The victim was allegedly held until his abductors received ₦3 million in ransom.
Police said the victim’s 2012 Toyota Corolla was later traced to Bauchi State, where it was recovered while Mohammed was allegedly attempting to sell it.
Further investigation allegedly linked the suspects to the kidnapping of Pastor David Dahni and his driver, Abdullahi Abubakar.
The Force said ₦10.5 million was reportedly paid as ransom in that case.
Police said investigations were continuing to identify other suspects linked to the alleged crimes and establish the full extent of their involvement.
The suspects remain allegations at this stage and are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court.
Source: Punch
