The Delta State Police Command has arrested a commercial motorcyclist who allegedly kidnapped a three-year-old girl he was hired to transport to and from school, and extorted N500,000 from her family as ransom.

Police spokesperson SP Bright Edafe, who spoke in a video posted on X, said the suspect, identified as Kelvin Ogaga, had been engaged by the child’s parents on a monthly fee of N10,000 to handle her daily school runs.

For about three weeks, Ogaga reportedly carried out the routine without incident, gradually earning the family’s trust. The arrangement turned criminal when, on a particular morning, he allegedly diverted the child instead of taking her to school.

Edafe explained that Ogaga then contacted the parents using a different phone line and demanded N2 million, threatening that the child would be killed if they informed security agencies. To conceal his involvement, he allegedly switched off his regular phone, creating the impression that he, too, was unreachable and uninvolved.

Despite the threats, the distraught family reported the incident to the police. Negotiations with the kidnappers eventually brought the ransom demand down to N500,000, which the family paid before the child was released unharmed.

According to Edafe, an intelligence-led investigation was immediately launched after the girl’s release. Detectives traced the crime to Ogaga, leading to his arrest and the recovery of part of the ransom money.

In police custody, Ogaga confessed to the kidnapping, claiming he was driven by financial hardship. He alleged that a friend, known simply as Omo, conceived the plan and pressured him into executing it. He further told investigators that his girlfriend was aware of, and involved in, the plot.

Edafe said efforts are ongoing to track down Omo and other suspected accomplices. He stressed that the case highlights the need for parents and guardians to conduct thorough background checks on individuals entrusted with the care or transportation of their children.

“The good part is that the child is safe, the suspect has been arrested and part of the ransom money has been recovered,” Edafe said, adding that the command remains committed to tackling kidnapping and related crimes across Delta State.