The Nigerian Police Force said that there’s a disturbing trend of people kidnapping themselves and exrorting money in ransom from relatives and undiscerning public.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, declared this in a series of tweets on X while reeling off some incidents of such nature including the arrest of a couple in Lagos.
The remark posted on a verified police X handle, @policeNg, on Tuesday, read in part, “In Lagos, a couple was arrested for an alleged self-kidnapping scheme aimed at obtaining a N5 million ransom recently.
“The husband, Doubara David Yabrifa, a 53-year-old technician, and the wife, Regina Yabrifa, a 48-year-old body massager and bone setter, were apprehended after a family member reported the purported kidnapping.
“The couple confessed to planning the self-kidnap to raise N3m to purchase a property in Badagry, Lagos. The husband justified the act, citing financial difficulties and a lack of support from relatives. Both were arrested, and they were subsequently charged in court.
“Also, one Albarka Sukuya of Jenta Apata, Jos, has been notorious for staging his kidnapping on several occasions and has received ransoms from unsuspecting members of the community in Plateau State.
“Similarly, on January 20, 2024, a young man, Nnamdi Agu, faked his kidnapping in Abuja in an attempt to defraud one of his family members who resides around River Park Estate, Abuja, to make money to pay for his pleasures.
“The police, in a swift response, foiled the staged kidnapping and arrested the suspect. The suspect and many others leverage the prevailing instances of kidnapping and plan to engage in such criminal and deceptive acts of staged or self-kidnapping to make money.”
Continued: “The Nigeria Police Force hereby warns against the recent disturbing trend of self-kidnapping, which is a punishable offence under the laws, and cautions the public against engaging in such activities as there are legal consequences associated with this criminal act. This follows observed incidents of self-kidnapping in various locations, with suspects apprehended in Lagos and Abuja.
“The Force hereby cautions members of the public to be wary of this trend, while those with intent to venture into these criminal acts should desist, as the police will leave no stone unturned to cause such suspects to face the full wrath of the law.
“Equally, we vehemently encourage the media and social media influencers, bloggers, etc., to constantly verify news before broadcasting it, not to create panic and jeopardise our security arrangements.”
