Dare Babalola
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested five individuals suspected to be part of a fake kidnap syndicate.
Their arrest is connected to a disturbing viral video where a schoolboy was seen pleading for mercy, allegedly in a staged kidnapping scenario. The police are treating the incident as a “stage-managed” abduction.
According to a statement released Friday by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, an operation led by ‘smart detectives and intelligent operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad’ on Thursday revealed that the victim, Victor Aligwo, had conspired with friends to extort money from his mother.
The statement reads, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the incident, which initially generated widespread public concern, was first reported as a case of a missing person at Ago Palace Division on 26th November, 2025. Subsequent to the investigation, it was established that the alleged kidnapping was deliberately orchestrated by the victim himself, one Victor Aligwo ‘m’, in collaboration with four of his friends, using the room of his cohorts, Umeh Victor, to carry out the fake kidnapping act.
“Following diligent, intelligence-led, and discreet investigation, the suspects were apprehended on the 17th and 18th of December, 2025, at Volkswagen Roundabout and the Ago Palace area, respectively.”
The statement added, “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, and Umeh Victor ‘m’ 19 years.
“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 a contribution.
“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.”
“A ransom of One Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (₦1.7 million) was paid and later transferred to the account of one of the fake kidnappers by the mother to get him freed. 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.
“Investigation into the matter is ongoing, and all the suspects will be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction for their prosecution,” the statement concluded.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, warned criminal elements operating within the state to desist from any form of crime, stressing that the Command will not relent in ensuring the safety of lives and property.
The Command further clarified that the incident was not a case of kidnapping, and that there is no cause for panic.
