- Housewife Fakes Kidnapping, Extorts Husband of N2.5m
- The woman claimed she had been kidnapped by 6 armed men
- Adebisi said the accomplice confessed during interrogation that the suspect requested the use of his SIM card
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 fraudulently extorting N2.5 million from her husband, Eko Hot Blog reports.
Confirming the arrest in a statement issued on Saturday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the case was first reported on 24 November when the suspect’s husband, who resides in South Africa, contacted the police through one of its emergency lines to report that his wife had been abducted by armed men.
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According to Adebisi, the caller stated that the alleged kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N10 million, which was later reduced to N3 million. He eventually paid N2.5 million, but the woman was not released, prompting further police action.
“Upon receipt of the complaint, the Command Special Squad immediately deployed human and technical resources to track the alleged kidnappers. The supposed victim was later released and reunited with her family,” Adebisi said.
During police debriefing, the woman claimed she had been kidnapped by 6 armed men who arrived in a silver Toyota Venza. She alleged that she was taken to their hideout and dispossessed of her iPhone 12 Pro Max.
She further told investigators that the ransom paid by her husband was first credited to her bank account before being handed over to the kidnappers.
However, police investigations uncovered inconsistencies in her account. On 3 December, operatives arrested her accomplice in Ede, Osun State, and recovered a SIM card used to register the WhatsApp account through which ransom negotiations were conducted.
Adebisi said the accomplice confessed during interrogation that the suspect requested the use of his SIM card to create the WhatsApp account used for ransom discussions. He admitted providing the one time password sent to his line, which enabled her to operate the account.
Confronted with the evidence, the woman confessed to staging her own kidnapping in order to extort money from her husband. Further investigations led to the recovery of the iPhone 12 Pro Max, which she had earlier claimed was stolen.
The phone was traced to a 34 year old man who told police he purchased it from the suspect for N380,000 after being warned not to insert any SIM card into the device.
Adebisi confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that both suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the inquiry.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, condemned the act, warning against false reports and criminal deception. He noted that such actions divert critical security resources and undermine public safety efforts
The police commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property, urging residents to remain law abiding and to promptly report suspicious activities.
The command also reminded members of the public that its emergency lines remain active: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264 and 08039344870.
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