Lagos Police Bust Fake Kidnapping Syndicate, Arrest Five Over ₦1.7m Ransom Scam
“Lagos Police uncover a stage-managed kidnapping involving a viral schoolboy video, arresting five suspects over a ₦1.7 million ransom scam. Full details.”
The Lagos State Police Command has dismantled a fake kidnapping syndicate following the arrest of five suspects linked to a viral video showing a schoolboy pleading for his life in what was later uncovered to be a stage-managed abduction.
Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad arrested the suspects on Thursday, December 18, 2025, at about 1:00 p.m., after an intelligence-driven investigation into the widely circulated video that had caused public panic.
Preliminary findings revealed that the incident, initially reported as a missing person case at the Ago Palace Police Division on November 26, 2025, was deliberately orchestrated by the supposed victim, Victor Aligwo, in collaboration with four of his friends.
Police investigations established that the alleged kidnapping was staged inside a room belonging to one of the suspects, Umeh Victor, where the group recorded a distress video portraying Aligwo as a kidnapped victim pleading for mercy in a fictitious kidnappers’ den.
Following discreet and sustained intelligence-led operations, the suspects were apprehended on December 17 and 18, 2025, at Volkswagen Roundabout and the Ago Palace area of Lagos.
Those arrested include Kosiko Patrick (17), Victor Aligwo (15), David Odudu (19), Anyabike Kingsley (20), and Umeh Victor (19). All suspects are currently in police custody.
Further investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly conspired to execute the fake kidnapping with the intention of extorting money from the victim’s mother, who had reportedly received the sum of ₦4 million from a recent contribution.
To make the plot appear genuine, the suspects recorded and circulated the distress video, creating fear and emotional pressure on the victim’s family. This led to the payment of a ransom totaling ₦1.7 million, which was transferred to the bank account of one of the suspects.
Police operatives later traced the Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal used in processing the ransom payment, a breakthrough that led to the arrest of all individuals involved. The ransom money was subsequently shared among the suspects.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction upon the conclusion of inquiries.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, warned criminal elements to desist from all forms of crime, stressing that the Command will not tolerate any activity capable of threatening public peace.
He further reassured residents that the incident was not a genuine case of kidnapping and urged the public to remain calm and continue their lawful activities.
Members of the public are encouraged to promptly report suspicious activities to the Police via the Command’s emergency numbers: 0706 101 9374, 0806 515 4338, 0806 329 9264, and 0803 934 4870.
The statement was signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, SP Abimbola Adebisi, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, on December 19, 2025.
