Rita Enemuru, Reporting
The Delta State Police Command has apprehended an Okada rider, Kelvin Ogaga Emighre, for allegedly kidnapping a three-year-old child he was employed to convey to and from school before demanding a ransom from the child’s parents.
The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a video made available to Stonix News on Friday, July 10.
Edafe explained that the suspect had been contracted by the child’s parents to pick the three-year-old from home to school and return the child home daily.
According to him, the arrangement lasted for about three to four weeks before the suspect allegedly diverted the child to another location instead of taking the child to school.
He said the suspect subsequently contacted the parents with a different phone number, claiming that the child had been kidnapped and demanding a ransom of N2 million.
According to Edafe, “An Okada rider was contacted to be picking a three year old child from home to school and from school to home. He did this job for about three weeks before the devil came into him as he claimed. On a faithful day he took the child from home instead of taking the child to school, he took the child elsewhere and started calling the parents with another number that the child has been kidnapped and they should bring the sum of two million naira. His phone number was switched off and they couldn’t reach him so they never thought he was the one who masterminded the kidnap.”
He further stated that the parents reported the incident to the police, adding that while they were at the police station, the suspect contacted them again and threatened to kill the child if they involved law enforcement officers.
“They reported the issue to and while they were at the police station, he called threatening them that if they go to the police, they will kill the child. Eventually, a ransom of N500,000 was paid and that was when he allowed the child to go home,” Edafe said.
The police spokesperson noted that operatives of the Delta State Police Command immediately launched a technically driven, intelligence-led investigation, which led to the identification and arrest of the suspect.
“The Delta State Police Command swung into action, went into technically driven intelligence-led investigation and we were able to unmask the face of the kidnapper. This happened in Ughelli about three weeks ago,” he added.
Speaking after his arrest, the suspect admitted to committing the crime and revealed that he had been paid N10,000 monthly to transport the child to and from school.
Emighre explained that he was in financial difficulty when an acquaintance identified simply as Omo allegedly suggested the kidnapping as a means of extorting money from the child’s parents.
He said Omo made the initial call to the parents before directing him to continue the negotiations.
The suspect further admitted collecting the N500,000 ransom, releasing the child afterwards and using part of the money to settle outstanding debts.
“Before now, I was looking for money and a friend of mine told me to take the child so that I will ask the parents to give us money. The name of that my friend is Omo, though I have known him for years, we are not that close. After taking the child, that my friend made the first call to the parents. After that, he told me to be contacting the parents. I collected N500,000 ransom from the parents and released the child. I used some part of the money to pay off some debts,” the suspect confessed.
Edafe appealed to parents to exercise greater caution when entrusting the care of their children to individuals, stressing the need to properly scrutinise those responsible for transporting minors.
END.
