The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, Bello Azeez, for allegedly staging his own kidnapping in order to extort money from his family and acquaintances.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Olushola Ayanlade, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Akure.
He said Azeez, who hails from Ipele in Owo Local Government Area, plotted the fake abduction after his father refused to give him N500,000 to settle a debt.
According to Ayanlade, suspicion arose when the family noticed that the supposed victim was demanding ransom to be paid directly into his own account, a development that made them alert the police.
“Investigators tracked his phone and discovered he never left Owo throughout the period of the alleged kidnap. He was subsequently arrested and confessed to the crime. He will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigation,” the spokesman said.
Ayanlade described the act as an abuse of trust, stressing that greed and deceit could ruin lives.
He urged parents and guardians to guide their children against crime and negative peer influence, while also calling on members of the public to resist all forms of deception and continue supporting the police in efforts to promote peace, security and societal progress.
