The Enugu State Police Command has taken into custody 21-year-old Chidera Ako and his accomplices for reportedly faking his kidnapping and seizing N2 million ransom paid by his parents.
SP Daniel Ndukwe, the command’s spokesman, disclosed this in a statement issued in Enugu on Tuesday.
Ndukwe explained that officers from the Nsukka Sector of the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad arrested four suspects on May 24 at approximately 1 p.m. for conspiracy, orchestrating a fake kidnapping, and defrauding the victim’s parents of ₦2 million.
He identified the suspects as 21-year-old Chidera Ako, who reportedly staged his own kidnapping, and 19-year-old Chidalu Okechukwu.
The others were identified as 20-year-old Ifeanyi Ugwu and 35-year-old Ossai Chigozie, who was recently released from the Nigerian Correctional Service custodial centre.
He also stated that the suspects were found in possession of a locally-made single-barrel gun and two live cartridges.
The statement read in part: “Ako was reported missing on May 4.
“Subsequently, on May 21, his accomplices used his phone to demand a ₦10 million ransom from his parents, sending a video of him bound, appearing beaten, with the recovered gun pointed at him.
“The parents pleaded for his release and paid ₦1.5 million into a provided account on May 22, but the suspects failed to release him.
“After an additional ₦.5 million payment, the police operatives swiftly arrested Ako and his accomplices at a POS centre during their attempt to withdraw the money.”
Ndukwe further stated that the suspects have admitted to the crime and will be charged in court once the ongoing investigations are concluded.
He stated that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mamman Giwa, expressed regret over the crime and has directed that all individuals involved be kept in custody for further investigation.
He added that the CP urged the public to promptly report any suspected kidnappings and warned against making quick ransom payments, highlighting that “some cases, like this one, may be staged.”
