Police arrest couple who planned self-kidnap, demanded N5m ransom

The Lagos State Police Command reports that it has detained a couple (name withheld) for allegedly kidnapping themselves and demanding N5 million in ransom.

SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command's spokesperson, verified this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday.

According to Hundeyin, the couple—a 53-year-old technician and a 48-year-old body masseuse and bone setter—were both detained on Wednesday and Thursday after a man's relatives reported the alleged kidnapping.

According to the pair, who admitted to the crime, they plotted the self-kidnapping in order to obtain N3 million to pay for their house in Lagos' Badagry neighbourhood.

“The man brought the idea and sold it to his wife. He did not deny it before the police. He said he did it through text message for a purpose. He said he did it because he wanted to re-buy his house back with N3 million.

“The man claimed he decided to organise self-kidnap because none of his brothers and sisters doing well and some living abroad are willing to assist him financially.

“He claimed that if they hear of his kidnap with his wife, they would negotiate with the kidnappers and pay the money,” the spokesperson quoted the man as saying.

Hundeyin also out that the couple had been abducted while still residing in their Badagry home, and that the wife and three children were present when police arrived at the residence on Tuesday.

According to him, the police asked the woman to accompany them to the Ikeja police headquarters, but she begged them to let her come the next day, on Wednesday, and they agreed.

According to the creator of the image, the wife showed up at the station as she had promised and was detained for self-kidnapping, while the husband was detained on Thursday the following day.

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