The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 33-year-old man, Olawale Sikiru, for allegedly masterminding his own kidnap and collecting ₦50,000 from his family after demanding a ₦1m ransom through his accomplices.
The command's spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday, saying the suspect was arrested alongside one Agbelusi Ayomide, 23, following an intelligence-led investigation by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
According to the police, the case began on July 5 when Sikiru's mother, Mrs. Iyabo, reported at a police station in Akure that her son had been kidnapped by unknown gunmen while travelling to Igbara-Oke for work.
The police said detectives immediately launched an investigation, deploying intelligence assets and carrying out forensic analysis of the telephone number used to demand the ransom, leading to the suspect's arrest on July 7.
"Investigation revealed that Olawale Sikiru orchestrated his own abduction and successfully collected ₦50,000 from his family as part of the ransom paid for his purported release," the statement said.
The police added that further investigation led to the arrest of Ayomide, who allegedly harboured the suspect while the fake kidnap was being executed, adding that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate.
The Commissioner of Police, Felix Ohagwu, commended the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for exposing the alleged fraud and warned residents against staging kidnappings or aiding criminal conspiracies for financial gain.
"Such criminal acts divert critical security resources, inflict emotional and financial hardship on families and attract severe legal consequences. The suspects will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations," the commissioner said, while assuring residents of the command's commitment to tackling crime through intelligence-led policing.
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