What began as a desperate attempt by a teenage girl to improve her academic future ended in tragedy after a teacher she once trusted allegedly masterminded her abduction and concealed her death in Ogun State.
The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Nathaniel Baiyegun, was widely known in his community as a teacher and church choir master. He reportedly taught at a private school in Ogijo, where he was regarded by parents and students as a dedicated educator committed to mentoring young people.
Police, however, alleged that behind the respectable image was a man involved in internet fraud and criminal activities that ultimately led to the death of a 16-year-old former student.
The teenager, who reportedly completed her secondary education last year, had failed English Language and Mathematics in her West African Examinations Council examination and was preparing to rewrite the papers in 2026. Investigators said Baiyegun invited her to join a JAMB and WAEC coaching class he organised on April 8, but she never returned home afterward.
Her disappearance threw her family into panic after they reportedly received a phone call from an unidentified person demanding N3 million ransom for her release.
Family sources said negotiations later reduced the demand to N500,000, which was eventually paid in the hope that the girl would regain her freedom. Instead, her body was later discovered in a river in the Ogijo area.
The development led to the arrest of Baiyegun by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Section of the Ogun State Police Command.
Police sources disclosed that preliminary investigations linked the suspect to internet fraud activities and revealed that he had allegedly requested nude photographs from the deceased in the past.
Investigators further alleged that Baiyegun attempted to pressure the teenager into a relationship with his friend, identified simply as Sola, before she was allegedly held captive in an uncompleted building.
Speaking during interrogation, the suspect denied intentionally killing the teenager, insisting that her death was accidental.
Baiyegun claimed the deceased was not one of his direct students because he taught science subjects while she belonged to the humanities class. He admitted, however, that they became close while he worked at the school.
According to him, the relationship later became strained after he allegedly cut off communication with her over what he described as inappropriate behaviour involving their former school principal.
He said they reconnected on April 7, 2026, when she allegedly informed him she intended to rewrite her WAEC examination after poor results in her previous attempt. He claimed he then introduced her to his coaching class for candidates preparing for JAMB and WAEC.
The suspect further alleged that one of his friends, Sola, had repeatedly expressed interest in dating the teenager.
He said he subsequently invited the girl to his new school on April 8 and arranged for her to meet the friend behind the school premises while he attended classes.
According to Baiyegun, he later returned and met the teenager alone after the friend allegedly left. He claimed she told him the man had demanded sex from her but she refused.
The suspect said the girl later requested transport fare to return home, but he allegedly suggested staging a fake kidnapping to obtain money from her family.
Baiyegun confessed that he used the girl’s phone to contact her father and demand N3 million ransom while keeping her in an uncompleted building near the school.
He admitted that the teenager spent the night in the building and later complained about discomfort and inability to sleep.
The suspect claimed he then gave her four doses of sleeping tablets and left her there before attending a burial ceremony the following day.
According to his statement, he returned on April 11 and discovered the girl gasping for breath.
He confessed to transporting her on a motorcycle to a river near the MTN area, where he dumped her body after allegedly deceiving the rider that she was sick and needed treatment.
Baiyegun also admitted receiving the N500,000 ransom payment from the victim’s father even after the girl had died.
He said he falsely assured the family that she would be released after payment was made.
The suspect further confessed that he spent most of the ransom money on online sports betting and expressed regret over his actions.
Spokesman for the Ogun State Police Command, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the arrest and commended operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for what he described as a successful intelligence-driven operation.
He said the arrest and recovery of incriminating exhibits demonstrated the commitment of the police to tackling criminal activities and restoring public confidence in security agencies.
Babaseyi assured residents that the command would continue efforts to dismantle criminal networks operating within Ogun State and urged members of the public to support law enforcement agencies with timely and credible information.
