Police Arrest Housewife, Accomplice for Allegedly Faking Kidnapping in Lagos
Police Arrest Housewife, Accomplice for Allegedly Faking Kidnapping in Lagos
The Lagos State police Command has arrested a 26-year-old housewife and her 30-year-old accomplice for allegedly staging her own kidnapping and extorting ₦2.5 million from her husband.
According to police sources, the incident began when the woman reportedly left her home under the pretext of running an errand and later went incommunicado. Hours after her disappearance, the husband allegedly began receiving distress messages and phone calls from individuals claiming she had been abducted. The callers reportedly demanded a ransom, threatening harm if their conditions were not met.
Alarmed by the development, the husband is said to have mobilised funds and paid a total of ₦2.5 million in multiple transfers to accounts allegedly provided by the supposed kidnappers. Despite the payment, inconsistencies in the communication and the absence of proof of life reportedly raised suspicion, prompting the husband to alert the police.
Acting on the complaint, operatives of the Lagos State Police Command launched an investigation, tracing phone records and financial transactions linked to the ransom payments. The investigation reportedly led officers to the woman and her alleged accomplice, who were later arrested at different locations within the state.
Preliminary findings by the police suggest that the housewife conspired with the 30-year-old suspect to fake the abduction in order to defraud her husband. During interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to planning the act and sharing the proceeds of the ransom.
Police authorities disclosed that the recovered evidence includes mobile phones used to make the ransom demands and bank details through which the money was received. The suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue.
The Lagos State Police Command condemned the act, describing it as a criminal abuse of public trust and police resources. The command warned residents against engaging in self-orchestrated crimes, noting that such actions divert attention from genuine security threats and cause emotional and financial trauma to victims.
The suspects are expected to be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, while the police urged the public to promptly report suspicious activities and cooperate with law enforcement agencies to curb crime in the state.
