Five Arrested After 20-Year-Old Man Stages Own Kidnapping, Demands Ransom from Father

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 20-year-old Collins Ikwebe for allegedly staging his own kidnapping and demanding a ransom from his father. Alongside Collins, one male and four female accomplices have also been detained for their involvement in the crime.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrests and addressed a claim of illegal detention by one of the suspects. This announcement followed a viral post by an X.com user, @Flacko TG, who claimed to be wrongfully detained at the Ikeja Police Division.

“Guys, I’m locked up in the Ikeja police station. I don’t have enough time, and I don’t know what to do. So, this is my only alternative, so y’all know what happened to me,” the post read. The user explained, “Someone faked his kidnapping and requested ransom from his dad. His dad reported the case to SARS, and they tracked his phone. I genuinely knew nothing about it until I reached the station.”

Hundeyin responded to the viral claim, stating that Collins and his accomplices had demanded various sums of money from his father while hiding out in a short-let apartment in Lekki, Lagos. The amounts ranged from $500,000 to N30,000 over a span of two weeks.

“Following a report from his family, our investigation established that 20-year-old Collins Oluchukwu Ikwebe faked his own kidnapping,” said Hundeyin. “On Thursday, June 20, 2024, detectives busted a short-let four-bedroom apartment in Lekki where Collins and five of his schoolmates had been staying for the past 10 days.”

Hundeyin further clarified that the investigation is ongoing to determine the extent of involvement of the other suspects. The case has sparked discussions on social media, with users calling for a thorough investigation and due process.

“Good clarification. He has to wait for the conclusion of the investigation. I will quickly add that he should not be detained beyond the statutory limit; he should be allowed the opportunity to have his lawyer present as soon as possible. Finally, he is innocent until proved guilty,” commented @otuo_ogbajie.

@oil_shaeikh added, “Thanks for the clarification. I trust you to do the needful when investigations are concluded.”