Four suspects have been arrested and paraded for allegedly faking a kidnap, and demanding N5million ransom, Police authorities said in a statement.
According to the statement released on Friday 22rd March 2024, by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the four suspects were arrested by detectives of the Lagos States Police Command.
The identifies of the four suspects were given as Margret Itodo ‘f’ aged 25, Agnes Ogbeh ‘f’ aged 23, Esther Anyanwu ‘f’ aged 24 and Anthony Chinakwe ‘m’ aged 24. They were arrested for faking the kidnap of Agnes
Ogbeh.
“On March 19, 2024, Agnes Ogbeh, resident in Akure, had travelled to Lagos and was reportedly kidnapped in Lagos. The family back in Akure received a video showing Agnes and one other tied, gagged, and groaning with blood droplets around them.
The ‘kidnappers’ demanded the sum of Five Million Naira for the release of Agnes.
Upon receipt of the complaint, detectives of the Command commenced a discreet and diligent investigation into the matter. The hideout was located where Agnes, the other lady in the video and two others were found living freely together,” SP Benjamin Hundeyin said.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin continued:
“Further investigations revealed that Margaret Itodo is a professional make-up artist, who was hired to make the video look real. All four have made confessional statements and are to be arraigned at the conclusion of investigation.”
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Adegoke Fayoade, mni while commending the detectives for a timely investigation calls on Lagosians to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity around them to the nearest security agency.