The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old man, Edward Okache, who along with four others, faked his kidnap to raise money and invest in an online business.
The four others are Asamoah Ernest, Isiah Uti, Ephraim Anyijor, and charity Lukpata.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday night and posted on the Twitter handle of the command.
The statement said the five persons were arrested on October 10 after a report was lodged at Mowe divisional headquarters by one Comfort Okache who reported via phone call that her younger brother who travelled from Calabar to Lagos was kidnapped around the Mowe area of the state.
According to the statement, Comfort disclosed that the kidnappers demanded the sum of 10 million if the relations want to see Edward alive.
“Upon the report, the DPO Mowe division, SP Folake Afeniforo mobilised the division’s tactical teams and moved to the area,” the statement reads.
“Upon painstaking and enduring combing of the surrounding bush at Orimerunmu area, the victim was sighted in an uncompleted building with the duo of Asamoah Ernest a Ghanaian, and Isiah Uti, where he was tied in both hands and legs.
“The two suspects found with him were promptly arrested, while the victim was rescued. But on getting to the station, the two arrested suspects made a shocking revelation that the so-called victim was the person who planned with them to kidnap him so he could extort money from his parent to invest in an online business.
“They stated further that the so-called victim was introduced to them by Ephraim Anyijor and Charity Lukpata who are from the same Yala local government area of cross river as the victim, and that they are all part of the planned kidnap of Edward Okache. Their confession led to the arrest of Ephraim Anyijor and Charity Lukpata. They have all confessed to the commission of the crime.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Bankole, has directed that the
suspects are transferred to the anti-kidnapping unit of the state criminal investigation department for further investigation and possible prosecution.”
