By Christopher Oji
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has rescued a male toddler stolen from his school in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in Abuja.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCT, Olatunji Disu, who handed the child over to his mother on Sunday, explained that the baby’s whereabouts were traced using technology.
According to the CP, the incident unfolded dramatically and involved a suspect, Blessing Okoi. The case began on 31 October, when Miss Lydia Jonah Gabriel reported the sudden disappearance of her four-year-old son, Hope Evans, from Community Primary School, Azubie, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“According to school officials, a woman, later identified as Blessing Okoi, lured Hope away from the school premises at approximately 1:28 p.m. by offering him biscuits and a boiled egg.
“The woman, who was not known to the school management, managed to leave with Hope unnoticed. The disappearance was only discovered later that evening when the child’s family could not locate him. Upon realising her son was missing, Miss Lydia Jonah, alongside family members, visited the school to gather more information.
“They discovered that the woman who took Hope was known locally as ‘Destiny’s mum.’ However, upon visiting Destiny’s residence, the family learned that the suspect had hurriedly vacated the premises on the same night, 31 October.
“On 1 November 2024, the family revisited the school and spoke with the headmaster. Several students identified the woman as Destiny’s mother, prompting the family to report the matter to the Trans Amadi Police Station. The case was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.
“Suspecting that the suspect might have escaped to Abuja, the younger sister of the victim’s mother reported the matter to the FCT Police Command. The FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, ordered an immediate investigation.
“Following a detailed investigation, police tracked the movements of the suspect, Blessing Okoi, to Maraba, Abuja. After over two weeks of persistent efforts, she was arrested on 29 November 2024 at approximately 8:00 p.m., and the four-year-old Hope Evans was rescued, two months after his abduction.
“During questioning, Blessing Okoi initially claimed to be Hope’s biological mother, referring to him as ‘David Evans.’ However, her claims were inconsistent with information provided by the victim’s mother, who confirmed her son’s name as Hope Evans and presented recent photographs as evidence.
“The suspect admitted to changing the boy’s name to David and began calling him that. Investigations revealed that she convinced her former lover, named Evans, that the boy was the result of a past pregnancy. The boyfriend accepted the child as his own.
“Another twist was the discovery of another young boy with the suspect, whom she claimed was her biological child, stating that the boy’s father had died.
“The FCT command contacted the victim’s mother, who arrived in Abuja on 6 December 2024. The emotional reunion between mother and son occurred in the office of the Commissioner of Police, bringing immense joy to both.”
CP Disu advised school owners to prioritise the safety of children entrusted to their care and praised the officers involved in the operation.
The child, Hope Evans, was unharmed and has since been reunited with his family after receiving medical attention.
The suspect, Blessing Okoi, remains in police custody undergoing further questioning and will be charged to court accordingly.