‘How 18-year-old student staged self-kidnap plot to scam mother of N50 million’

By Yahaya Isah

An 18-year-old student of a student of the College of Health, Kwamba, Suleja Niger State has been arrested for staging a self -kidnap plot with a former student of the school to scam his mother of N50 million.

Spokesperson for Niger Police Command SP Wasiu Abiodun disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Minna.

He added that the boy was further aided by his brother who housed him for six days in Karji Village, Sabon-Tasha, Kaduna, for six days.

According to Abiodun, on Aug. 4 at about 7:30 a.m., the Maje Division received a report that on July 31, at about 7:50 p.m., a woman had received a distressed call claiming that her 18-year-old son, had been kidnapped.

He said the kidnappers demanded ₦50 million ransom from the supposed kidnapped son, a student of the College of Health, Kwamba, Suleja.

During a preliminary investigation, one 22-year-old man of Gidan-Mangoro, Karshi, Abuja, who was the last person seen with the kidnapped victim , was arrested.

” The suspect, a former student of the same school, was interrogated, and the next day, police tracked the victim to Zuba Motor Park, Abuja, where he was rescued at about 4 a.m.

“During interrogation, the victim confessed that he conspired with the suspect to stage his own kidnap in order to extort money from his mother,” Abiodun said.

He explained that suspect had also contacted his brother, in Kaduna State, who provided them with accommodation in Karji Village, Sabon-Tasha, Kaduna, for six days.

“The supposed victim reportedly decided to return from Kaduna after the ransom was not forthcoming.

Abiodun said efforts were ongoing to arrest the suspect’s brother, who provided them with accommodation.

In a separate incident, Abiodun said police operatives had arrested a suspected cable vandal in Lambata, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger.

Abiodun said that on Aug. 9, at about 7:30 a.m., a police patrol team from Gawu-Babangida Division, in collaboration with vigilantes, intercepted the suspect of Danbitsho, Lambata Village, along the Lambata–Minna road.

The suspected vandal was reportedly found in possession of vandalised electric cables concealed in two sacks near Dagigbe Village.

“He was arrested, and the recovered items were taken into custody.”

Abiodun added that investigation was ongoing and the suspect would be prosecuted upon conclusion of the case(NAN)