By DEBORAH AKPEDE

The Police Command in Lagos State, says it is monitoring social media spaces, to uncover and tackle the wave of staged kidnappings in parts of the state.

The command revealed that several social media videos of kidnapping incidents which had sparked fear and consequent ransom payment, were carefully orchestrated scams.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, had deployed Tactical Squads and anti-crime units, to strengthen rapid response.

She said that Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) had also been directed to engage community leaders and residents, to improve information sharing.

“The command is also closely monitoring reports on social media and other platforms to promptly verify and address any incidents that may cause public anxiety,” she said

She said that in recent days, the command had recorded several fake abductions and consequent extortions.

“One such case involved a 26-year-old housewife whose supposed abduction set off alarm bells across borders.

“Her husband, living in South Africa, received frantic reports that armed men had kidnapped his wife in Lagos.

“The ransom demand was steep N10 million before it was negotiated down to three million naira. Hoping to save his wife’s life, he paid N2.5 million, yet, she was not released.

“It was that inconsistency that triggered deeper police scrutiny; A special squad of the Lagos State Police Command was deployed and what they uncovered was not a hostage situation, but a carefully choreographed scam,” she said.

The police said that the alleged victim had staged the kidnapping with the help of an accomplice in Osun state, who supplied a SIM card used to negotiate the ransom on WhatsApp.

According to the police, the victim later confessed, adding that even the iphone she claimed was stolen during the abduction, had already been sold.

“In a related development, the Command apprehended five suspects aged between 15 and 20 years, for orchestrating another fake kidnapping that went viral on social media.

“Police investigations revealed that a 15-year-old boy, with the help of four friends, staged his own abduction in a friend’s room in the Ago Palace area of Lagos to extort money from his mother.

“A ransom of N1.7 million was paid before detectives traced the transaction through a POS terminal, leading to the arrest of the suspects.

“The case, initially reported as a missing person incident on Nov. 26, 2025, had triggered widespread panic before the truth emerged.

“Similarly, the police apprehended a young couple for allegedly faking the wife’s kidnap, to extort N10 million from relatives and friends.

“Investigations showed that the scheme was motivated by financial hardship and the husband’s failed attempts to return to the United States,” she said

The police said that the plot unravelled at a school in Cappa, Lagos, after security personnel became suspicious of the couple’s conduct and alerted the police.

Th police said that the 19-year-old wife had admitted to planning what she described as a “prank kidnapping,” claiming that she had “acted” to help her husband cope with frustrations over his travel plans.

The spokesperson urged the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities, stressing that security is a shared responsibility.

Adebisi urged residents to remain law-abiding and to verify distress calls before taking action.

The image maker warned the public against false reporting, criminal deception and acts capable of diverting critical security resources.

She advised families to establish internal verification codes and maintain regular communication with their loved ones.

Meanwhile, Adebisi warned criminal elements to desist from all forms of crime, assuring residents that the command would continue to intensify efforts to safeguard lives and property across the state.

She urged citizens to cooperate with the police by providing credible and timely information, as public support remains vital in tackling crime.

“Avoid rushing to transfer money without confirmation and promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency numbers: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264 and 08039344870, ” she said. (NAN)

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