23-yr-old boy plans own kidnap in Ogun, demands N10m ransom for online business

A 23-year-old boy, Edward Okache has been arrested by the operatives of Ogun State Police Command for organising his own kidnap, and demanding for N10m ransom.

Edward was said to have planned his kidnap with four other friends namely; Asamoah Ernest, Isiah Uti, Ephraim Anyijor and Charity Lukpata.

The boy was said to have informed the police after his arrest that he decided to arrange for his kidnap so as to extort N10 million from his parents which he had planned to invest in online business.

According to the statement from the spokesman of the state police command, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, Edward and his friends were arrested on Monday, October 10 following a report lodged at Mowe Divisional Headquarters of the Nigeria Police.

One Comfort Okache was said to have reported via phone call that his younger brother who traveled from Calabar to Lagos was kidnapped around Mowe area of Ogun State, and that the kidnappers were demanding for N10 million if the relations ever cared to see the boy alive again.

Upon the report, the DPO, Mowe Division, SP Folake Afeniforo reportedly mobilized the division’s tactical teams and moved to the area and after a painstaking 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 statement read,“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 in order for him to extort money from his parents to invest on 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 State as the victim, and that they all were part of the planned kidnap of Edward Ockache.

“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 be transferred to Anti Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Departments for further investigation and possible prosecution.