A bizarre plot involving a staged abduction has led to the arrest of five young suspects in Lagos, after police uncovered how a 15-year-old boy allegedly masterminded his own kidnapping to extort money from his mother.
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad cracked the case following weeks of discreet investigation triggered by a missing-person report filed in late November.
According to the police, the case was first reported on November 26, 2025, at the Ago Palace Police Division, when the teenager was declared missing by his family.
However, investigators later discovered that the disappearance was carefully planned by the boy, identified as Victor Aligwo, alongside four associates.
Police findings showed that the supposed abduction never took place. Instead, the group staged a fake “kidnappers’ den” inside the residence of one of the suspects, where the teenager was filmed begging for help in a distress video circulated online to heighten fear.
A police source familiar with the investigation said the video was deliberately designed to pressure the boy’s mother into making a ransom payment.
“The entire operation was scripted to appear convincing, from the setting to the emotional appeal in the footage,” the source said.
Further inquiry revealed that the mother had recently come into possession of N4 million through contributions, a development the suspects allegedly exploited.
Acting on the fear generated by the video, she reportedly paid N1.7 million as ransom through a Point-of-Sale transaction.
Police traced the POS payment, leading to intelligence-led operations carried out on December 17 and 18 around Volkswagen Roundabout and the Ago Palace axis. As a result, five suspects were arrested.
Those in custody include Kosiko Patrick, 17; Victor Aligwo, 15; David Odudu, 19; Anyabike Kingsley, 20; and Umeh Victor, 19, at whose residence the fake kidnapping was allegedly staged.
Police investigators disclosed that the ransom money was shared among the suspects before their arrest.
“Financial trails played a key role in unmasking the deception,” another officer said, adding that digital and financial evidence strengthened the case.
Confirming the development on Friday, Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the arrests were made on Thursday, December 18, 2025, and described the incident as a clear case of criminal conspiracy and attempted extortion.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, assured residents that the command remains vigilant and committed to public safety.
He stressed that the incident did not involve an actual kidnapping but warned against trivialising serious crimes.
“This case should serve as a deterrent, especially to young people who may think such actions are harmless,” Jimoh said.
“Every report of kidnapping diverts critical resources and creates unnecessary panic.”
Police said investigations are ongoing, and the suspects will be charged in court upon conclusion of inquiries.
Residents were also encouraged to remain alert and report suspicious activities through the command’s emergency lines.