Mother, teacher allegedly stage son’s kidnapping, demand N15m ransom from father

Mother, teacher allegedly stage son’s kidnapping, demand N15m ransom from father

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a 34-year-old mother, her two-year-old son’s lesson teacher and another alleged accomplice over a purported staged kidnapping in Jos, Plateau State, involving a N15 million ransom demand.

The suspects were identified as Nansik Wuyep Sule, Catherine Davou and Luka Emmanuel Butdam. They were paraded on Wednesday at the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) headquarters in Abuja, where the police gave details of the investigation into the alleged abduction.

According to the police, the suspects allegedly orchestrated the disappearance of two-year-old Rito Jesse Daviu and created the impression that the child had been kidnapped by unknown persons.

The toddler was reported missing on July 19, 2026, around Behind Bishop’s House in Sabon Barki, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Following the report, police operatives deployed human and technical intelligence to determine what happened to the child and identify those responsible.

The investigation reportedly yielded a breakthrough on July 23 when operatives from the Mine Special Duty unit in Jos, led by ASP Sarauta Mohammed, arrested Sule.

Police said information obtained during the investigation led detectives to the other suspects and helped uncover the alleged circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance.

Speaking during the briefing, DCP Adamu Muazu said Davou allegedly became aware of Sule’s financial difficulties and suggested kidnapping as a way of raising money.

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Muazu said the initial plan allegedly involved kidnapping Sule. However, Davou reportedly proposed abducting her two-year-old son instead, believing the child’s father would be more likely to pay a substantial ransom for his safe return.

The police alleged that Davou subsequently went to the child’s paternal grandmother’s residence, where she used balloons to lure the toddler before taking him away.

The child was allegedly moved to a location around Behind Grandsreal in the Zawan District of Jos South, where he was kept while the suspects allegedly sustained the impression that he had been abducted.

The suspects subsequently demanded N15 million from the family for the child’s release and allegedly contacted his grandmother, pressuring her to persuade her son to pay the ransom.

Butdam was also allegedly involved in communicating with the grandmother through a hidden telephone number, according to the police.

Investigators said the use of the concealed number was allegedly intended to prevent the suspects from being identified and to maintain the appearance of a genuine kidnapping.

The suspects later allegedly changed their communication method and obtained another SIM card in an attempt to frustrate efforts by investigators to trace them.

Police detectives, however, continued analysing the communications while gathering intelligence around the case.

The grandmother reportedly became suspicious after receiving a voicemail in which the voice allegedly sounded unusual. Her concerns subsequently contributed to the investigation into the authenticity of the kidnapping.

According to the police, investigators eventually traced the suspects’ communications, established links between them and located the child.

The two-year-old was rescued from the location where he had allegedly been held and taken to a hospital for medical attention.

He was subsequently handed over to his biological father.

The police described the operation as an intelligence-led investigation, combining human intelligence with technical methods to establish the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance and locate him safely.

The three suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue into the alleged kidnapping, conspiracy and ransom demand.

Investigators are expected to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged scheme and determine the individual roles played by the suspects.

The case has drawn attention to the challenges faced by law enforcement in investigating reported kidnappings, particularly where investigators must establish whether an alleged abduction was carried out by external criminals or staged by individuals known to the victim.

The police allegations against the suspects have not been established in court. They remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.

 

Mother, teacher allegedly stage son’s kidnapping, demand N15m ransom from father