Police arrest kidnap suspect who posed as a computer instructor to abduct 9-year-old pupil

The Nigerian Police Force under the operation of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has arrested a kidnap suspect who posed as a computer instructor to abduct a 9-year old pupil from a private school in Nasarawa State.

The suspect, Teleheem Kamaldeen, was arrested on Sunday, three days after he collected N1.5 million ransom from the victim’s parents for his release.

During interrogation with the kidnap suspect, the 29-year-old confessed that he monitored the boy and his parents’ movement for two months before he kidnapped him. 

In his words: “I have been monitoring him for two months, waiting for the right opportunity to abduct him. His parents live in the same area with me- New Nyanya. He was always driven  in his parents’ car to and from school.

“I decided to abduct him on their vacation day because  parents usually went to pick their children earlier than the usual closing hour that day

“When I got  to the school I discovered that  access into the premises  wasn’t  as difficult as I envisaged. People were going in and out freely while the pupils were playing. 

“I walked round until I sighted him among his peers.  I told him his mother had paid me to teach him how to operate computer. He was very happy. He followed me without hesitation. I told his teacher  that I was his computer instructor and that I came to pick him for his class.

“I took him to a hotel, put on my laptop and started teaching him how to operate the computer.  He was glued to  the computer until the battery drained out. By then, it was late and I told him we would continue the next day and that his parents were aware he was with me. 

“I put a call to his parents to inform them I had kidnapped  their son. I demanded N4 million for his release. I later agreed to collect N1.5 million after much negotiation and plea from his parents. I instructed them to  drop the ransom in a bush part close to Abuja. When they did, I released their son to them,” he said.

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Answering the “why did you venture into kidnapping” question, the suspect had this to say: “As a phone repairer, people brought their phones for repairs. Sometimes, some of them would request to swap their repaired phones with new ones. All they need to do is to add some money to get a new phone. Unfortunately, I didn’t have money to buy new phones. I intended to use the ransom to buy new phones to sell and swap with customers repaired phones.”

Advising school owners, the CP Frank  Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, said schools should put measures on ground that would check those who bring and take children from schools.

According to the police PRO, failure to do this, Police would be left with no option but to arrest and prosecute owners of schools alongside suspects.