The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 33-year-old man, Olawale Sikiru, for allegedly staging his own abduction and collecting ransom from his family in a desperate bid for financial gain.
The police also arrested a 23-year-old suspect, Agbelusi Ayomide, for allegedly conspiring with Sikiru and providing him with shelter while the fake abduction was being carried out in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, saying the case was uncovered through an intelligence-driven investigation by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
According to him, the incident was reported on July 5 by the suspect’s mother, Mrs. Iyabo, who informed the police that her son had allegedly been kidnapped by unknown persons while travelling to Igbara-Oke for work.
Jimoh said the suspected kidnappers subsequently contacted the family and demanded a ransom of N1 million for Sikiru’s release, prompting detectives to deploy intelligence assets and carry out forensic analysis on the telephone number used for the ransom demand.
The police spokesman said the investigation led to the arrest of Sikiru, adding that detectives discovered he had masterminded his own abduction and had already collected N50,000 from his family as part payment of the ransom.
He said, “Investigation revealed that he deliberately staged the abduction and succeeded in collecting N50,000 as part of the ransom paid by his family for his purported release.
”Further investigation led to the arrest of one Agbelusi Ayomide, who allegedly conspired with the suspect and harboured him while the fraudulent kidnapping plot was being executed.”
Jimoh added that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate believed to have participated in the criminal act, noting that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
