Police Arrest 5 Teenagers Over N1.7m Fake Kidnapping Scheme in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command has detained five suspects, between ages fifteen and twenty, for allegedly faking the kidnap of a schoolboy, of which a video of the purported incident was recorded and circulated on social media. Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad of the Lagos State Police Command tracked down the suspects after detailed investigation of the online video of a purportedly kidnapped schoolboy pleading for mercy. However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent ABIMBOLA ADEBISI said an investigation by detectives of the Ago Palace Division revealed that the supposed victim, identified as VICTOR ALIGWO, connived with four of his friends to create the video, using the room of one UMEH VICTOR. Superintendent ADEBISI said the suspects were apprehended on December 17 and 18, 2025, at Volkswagen Roundabout and the Ago Palace area, respectively. “The suspects who faked the kidnapping incident were arrested and are now in police custody. They are Kosiko Patrick ‘m’ 17 years, Victor Aligwo ‘m’ 15 years, David Odudu ‘m’ 19 years, Anyabike Kingsley ‘m’ 20 years, Umeh Victor ‘m’ 19 years. The PPRO disclosed in a statement that that further investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly conspired to stage the fake kidnapping with the intent of extorting money from the mother of the suspected victim, Victor Aligwo, who had recently received the sum of Four Million Naira (₦4,000,000) from her contributory saving scheme. “To actualise and make the fake kidnapping real, the suspects recorded and circulated a distress video showing Victor Aligwo pleading for help, thereby creating fear and panic in the mind of his mother and his family to pay ransom to the alleged kidnappers. The Lagos Police spokeswoman said a ransom of N1.7M (One Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira) was paid and later transferred to the account of one of the fake kidnappers by the unsuspecting mother. “The money was later shared amongst them. Following the payment, the Police operatives traced the Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal used for the ransom transaction, leading to the arrest of all suspects involved.” She said investigation into the matter is ongoing, and all the suspects will be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction for their prosecution.