The Niger State Police Command has apprehended nine suspects involved in a staged self-kidnap and a fraudulent demand for a N7 million ransom.

The command’s spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, revealed this in a statement released on Wednesday, explaining that the suspects were participants in a Ponzi scheme.

According to Abiodun, one of the suspects conspired with the supposed victim to extort ransom money from their acquaintances.

The statement read, “On September 2, 2025, at about 10 pm, a report was received at Tudun-Wada Division of a suspected kidnapping around the Mandela area of Minna, alongside a call from an unknown phone number demanding a ransom of seven million naira.

“During the investigation on September 3, Suleiman Dauda was arrested in connection with the crime. Following interrogation, eight others were also detained in the Mandela area.

“During a search, 21 SIM cards and 29 SIM card registration certificates were recovered from Suleiman, who claimed to be engaged in SIM card registration. He admitted that the phone number and handset used to request the ransom were provided to the victim by him.

“Further investigations revealed that the suspects hail from various locations within and beyond the state and are involved in a fraudulent Ponzi scheme. It was discovered that one of their cohorts conspired with the purported victim to extort ransom from their colleagues.”

Abiodun added that investigations continue to apprehend additional accomplices, while those already in custody have been charged to court.

Self-kidnapping for ransom has emerged as a recurring scam in Nigeria, often targeting relatives or associates to extort money under false pretences.

In a similar case in Ondo State, a 42-year-old woman and her husband staged her abduction in August 2025, claiming she was kidnapped by unknown gunmen and demanding N10 million from relatives abroad.

The scheme was uncovered after relatives grew suspicious and alerted the police, who arrested the couple and revealed that the woman had orchestrated the plot to settle debts and meet personal needs. (The PUNCH)