Smart detectives and intelligent operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Tactical Squad of the Lagos State Police Command on Thursday, 18th December, 2025, at about 1300 hours, arrested five (5) suspects in connection with a fake and stage-managed kidnapping incident in a viral video of a schoolboy pleading for mercy in a fake kidnappers’ den.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the incident, which initially generated widespread public concern, was first reported as a case of a missing person at Ago Palace Division on 26th November, 2025. Subsequent to the investigation, it was established that the alleged kidnap was deliberately orchestrated by the victim himself, one Victor Aligwo ‘m’, in collaboration with four of his friends, using the room of his cohorts, Umeh Victor, to carry out the fake kidnapping act.

Following diligent, intelligence-led, and discreet investigation, the suspects were apprehended on the 17th and 18th of December, 2025, at Volkswagen Roundabout and the Ago Palace area, respectively. The suspects who faked the Kidnapping incident were arrested and are now in police custody. They are Kosiko Patrick ‘m’ 17 years, Victor Aligwo ‘m’ 15 years, David Odudu ‘m’ 19 years, Anyabike Kingsley ‘m’ 20 years, Umeh Victor ‘m’ 19 years.

Further investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly conspired to stage the fake kidnapping with the intent of extorting money from the mother of the suspected victim, Victor Aligwo, who had recently received the sum of Four Million Naira (₦4,000,000) from a contribution.

To actualise and make the fake kidnapping real, the suspects recorded and circulated a distress video showing Victor Aligwo pleading for help, thereby creating fear and panic in the mind of his mother and his family to pay ransom to the alleged kidnappers.

A ransom of One Million, Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (₦1.7 million) was paid and later transferred to the account of one of the fake kidnappers by the mother to get him freed. The money was later shared amongst them. Following the payment, the Police operatives traced the Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal used for the ransom transaction, leading to the arrest of all suspects involved. Investigation into the matter is ongoing, and all the suspects will be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction for their prosecution.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has thereby warned all criminal elements to desist from any form of crime and curtail any form of criminal activities within the state, assuring that the Command will not relent in ensuring the safety of lives and property.