How kidnappers fought over N3m ransom after killing nurse, baby in Abuja school

A chilling ransom dispute has unraveled the brutal killing of a school nurse and a toddler in Dawaki, Abuja, after a former security guard confessed to the crime.

David Moses, a security guard formerly deployed to Clear Hope Foundation Academy, admitted to abducting and killing 55-year-old school nurse Mrs. Chinyere Anaene and 14-month-old Nanenter Yese.

He alleged that an accomplice, identified as Sunday Irimiya — now on the run — pushed him into the crime.

Speaking at the Federal Capital Territory Police Command on Friday, Moses revealed that he and Sunday initially demanded ₦250 million before settling for ₦3 million.

“What brought me here is that I killed a child with a nurse in Clear Hope School on July 23. My friend and I demanded ₦250m ransom. We later settled for ₦3m, which we collected,” he confessed.

Moses claimed the crime turned violent when a quarrel over the ransom led Sunday to stab him and flee with the money.

“We had issues while sharing the ransom. My friend stabbed me with a knife, took the money, and ran away. I struggled and went to someone’s house and told the person what was going on. But I didn’t tell the full truth at that time because I was afraid the community might kill me immediately,” he said.

After receiving hospital treatment, Moses told police the full story. He recounted how the nurse was lured into a trap on the pretext of inspecting something near a toilet, where Sunday allegedly strangled her.

“I went to call her from her class. I told her I wanted to show her something near the front toilet, where Sunday was hiding. As we were going, Sunday came out from behind and held the woman. He put a rope around her neck and started strangling her. She struggled but eventually became weak.”

The toddler was later killed on Sunday’s insistence.

“He told me to run and bring the baby so we could also kill the baby. I said no, that the woman alone was enough. He insisted, saying that if we didn’t bring the baby, the ransom we demanded wouldn’t be enough. So, I went and brought the baby.”

Moses maintained this was his first criminal act.
“I have never done such a thing. This was the first time someone pushed me into any evil act.”

The suspect added that the nurse had shown him kindness earlier that same day.

“The woman was nice to me. In fact, that very day, she gave me ₦300 to buy food. She had been giving me money to eat even before then.”

Zachariah Fiyinfoluwa, representing the security company that hired Moses, said he learned of the incident only after the school principal raised the alarm.

“I don’t know anybody called Sunday. The person we posted to the school is David,” he stated.

FCT Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, confirmed the victims were reported missing on July 23. He said a ransom demand of ₦250 million was sent via the caregiver’s phone the same day.

Following investigations, police arrested Moses, the school principal, two other security guards, and the Chief Security Officer of the security company. Irimiya remains at large.