Police arrest suspect in murder of caregiver, toddler in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a suspect in connection with the gruesome murder of a caregiver and a toddler in the Dawaki area of Abuja.

In a statement released on Friday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the command began investigating the case on July 23 after receiving a report on the sudden disappearance of 55-year-old nurse Mrs. Chinyere Anaene and a one-year-and-two-month-old child, Nanenter Yese. Anaene was a caregiver at the Clear Hope Foundation Academy in Dawaki.

Later that day, while at the police station, Anaene’s husband received a ₦250 million ransom demand via her mobile phone. This prompted the FCT Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit to launch an intensive investigation, including the use of digital forensics.

Their efforts led to the tracking of the suspects to Yelwa and Uke in Nasarawa State. On July 29, police operatives arrested a security guard at the school, who eventually confessed to conspiring with an accomplice—still at large—to carry out the crime.

According to the police, the suspects lured Anaene into a bathroom at the school, where they strangled her. They then took the toddler from a classroom and killed him in the same manner.

Both bodies were stuffed into a sack, transported using a scavenger’s cart, and dumped in a canal.

The suspect led police to the crime scene, where the victims’ remains were recovered.

SP Adeh extended the command’s condolences to the bereaved families and assured that every effort would be made to ensure justice is served.