The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a man, Ufom Edet Udoh, who attempted to defraud his brother, Victor Udoh, by staging his own kidnap.
The spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said on July 3, Udoh reported to the command that Ufom, his younger brother, had been kidnapped by unknown persons at Liverpool in Apapa area of Lagos State.
Famous-Cole said operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Squad quickly swung into action and traced the calls the complainant received on his phone.
This led to the arrest of one Paul Philips Okiemute, who reported the case at the work place of the supposed victim.
Okiemute, upon questioning, confessed that Udoh staged his own kidnap to collect money from his elder brother due to his financial problems.
Famous-Cole said: “Udoh was not kidnapped, that it was all a planned attempt to stage his own kidnap so that he can be paid ransom by his elder brother.”
The suspect said he made calls to the victim’s elder brother with an unknown number demanding a ransom of N60,000,000.
Ufom was later picked up and confessed to the crime.
He said he had checked into an hotel at Iyana-Ipaja area on July 3, where he spent three nights without food and water.
Udoh added that he later trekked to Ifo area in Ogun State, only to return to Lagos State looking frail for his story to look convincing.
Fatai Owoseni, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, has ordered that the suspects be charged to court immediately.
Owoseni said their arrest should serve as deterrent to others who are likely to cause breach of the peace in the state
