Christopher Oji 

The Lagos State Police Command  has arrested and is interrogating a lady Ataghar and her boyfriend at the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Command for allegedly faking of her kidnap.

Daily Sun gathered that on January 9, at about 5.30pm, the suspect conspired with her boyfriend Emmanuel and Okpe  to produce a short video of her being  blindfolded and driven to a bush in a truck. According to Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP  Bala Elkana, the lady, a mother of one, was seen in the video in a bush at Sangotedo area, Ajah, being threatened by a man wearing a mask and holding a Jack knife.

Elkana said that the  police later identified the masked man as Emmanuel who is the boyfriend  of the 16-year-girl. “The abductors were demanding for N10 million as ransom in the video. The two videos were sent to the employer of the lady with a threat to kill her and  go after the family of her employer if the ransom was not paid. Frightened by the threat contained in the video and the follow up calls, the girl’s employer who is into Fleet business, reported the case to the police.

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“On the receipt of the report, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, ordered the anti-kidnapping unit  of the command to carry out an indepth investigation into the case. The videos were thoroughly analysed alongside other vital leads.  “A well coordinated operation was put in place, which led to the successful rescue of the self arranged victim of the abduction and the arrest of one of the two suspects, Okpe and the Command took steps to verify the claim made by Okpe that he was a military personnel. He confessed to have provided the truck used in driving the girl to the bush and he actually drove it himself. He also did the video recordings sent to the employer of the Lady.

“Police have equally launched a manhunt for  the second male suspect, Emmanuel , who is on the run. The three suspects hail from Benue State. They have known each other for so many years. Both the lady and his accomplice have confessed to the commission of the crime. They confessed that  their  aim was  to extort money from the girl’s employer.

“It is noteworthy that it is a criminal offence for anyone to fake his or her kidnap. Under the Lagos State laws, the offender upon conviction is liable to 14 years imprisonment. The suspects will be charged to court” the police stated.