A Lagos-based couple, identified as Fred and Goodness, have been arrested by the police for allegedly staging their own kidnapping to extort N10 million in ransom from their families and friends. The elaborate scam was uncovered after police surveillance at the ransom drop-off point.
According to a police source, the couple orchestrated the fake abduction on January 7, 2026. They contacted relatives from both families, claiming to have been kidnapped and demanding a ransom for their release. The distressed families reportedly raised N10 million within three days.
"The husband wanted to travel back to the US, and he needed some money, but their sponsors were not forthcoming, so they planned it together," the source explained.
The couple arranged for the ransom to be delivered at a school in the Cappa area of Mushin. Police operatives monitoring the location grew suspicious when they saw the woman enter the premises alone, followed shortly by the man. Their suspicion was confirmed when the couple emerged together carrying a bag containing the cash.
Upon arrest, the wife allegedly confessed to encouraging the husband to plot the fake kidnap. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident, stating that the couple would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
This case adds to a worrying trend of self-orchestrated abductions designed to defraud loved ones.
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