The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 33 year old man, Olawale Sikiru, for allegedly masterminding his own kidnap in a bid to extort money from his family.
The police also arrested one of his alleged accomplices, Agbelusi Ayomide, 23, in connection with the incident, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the suspected syndicate.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the incident began on July 5 when Mrs. Iyabo of Oda Road, Akure, reported that her son had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen while travelling to Igbara Oke for work.
The police said the alleged kidnappers contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N1 million for the victim’s release.
Following the report, the Command launched an intelligence driven investigation, deploying detectives and conducting forensic analysis of the telephone number used to make the ransom demand.
The investigation, the police said, led to the arrest of Sikiru on July 7, where it was discovered that he had allegedly orchestrated the entire kidnap drama.
According to the police, the suspect successfully obtained N50,000 from his family as part payment of the ransom before the plot was uncovered.
Further investigations led detectives to the residence of Ayomide, who was alleged to have harboured the purported victim while the fake kidnap was being carried out.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Felix Ohagwu, commended operatives of the Anti Kidnapping Unit for exposing the alleged fraud through intelligence based policing.
He warned residents against staging kidnappings or participating in criminal conspiracies for financial gain, noting that such acts waste security resources, inflict emotional and financial hardship on families and attract severe legal consequences.
The police said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations, while the Command reaffirmed its commitment to tackling crime through intelligence led policing across the state.
