Ogun man faked his own kidnap to evade paying N1m debt

Thursday, November 14, 2024 -The Ogun State Security Network Agency otherwise known as Amotekun Corps has arrested a 41-year-old man, Enitan Awoyemi, who allegedly orchestrated his kidnap in a desperate bid to evade payment of about N1m debt. 

The state Commander of the Amotekun Corps, Brig Gen Alade Adedigba (retd.) who disclosed this in a statement said the suspect, a resident of Irolu-Remo, in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state, was arrested on Wednesday. 

According to to Adedigba, the wife of the suspect, Mrs Tope Awoyemi, had on November 10, at about 9 am, reported to the Amotekun Irolu outpost that her husband had called her, claiming to have been kidnapped the previous day by unidentified individuals who demanded a ransom of N5m for his release. 

“Upon receiving the report, the Amotekun Intelligence team commenced an investigation into the matter, and findings from the investigation revealed that Enitan Awoyemi had accumulated substantial debts related to gambling in a lotto game, amounting to a staggering N1m,” the statement read. 

“Awoyemi, who is a regular player of the game, had previously won N6m from the same game, using portions of his winnings to purchase a Toyota Corolla Sport car and a Bajaj Boxer motorcycle for commercial purposes.

“Faced with the inability to repay his debts, it is alleged that he resorted to fabricating a kidnapping scenario."

Adedigba however said through the collaborative efforts with the Vigilantes Group of Nigeria and other community stakeholders, the suspect was traced to Ijagba town and later Ota in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area.

He was ultimately arrested at the Irolu Okada Park in the early hours of Wednesday during routine patrol operations by the Amotekun officers.

Upon apprehension, operatives noted a strong smell of insecticide from him, raising concerns about an attempted suicide.

Awoyemi was said to have been transported to the Rufina Private Hospital in Iperu for medical attention.

Adedigba said that Amotekun was committed to taking necessary action, and once Awoyemi is discharged from the hospital, he would be handed over to the police for further proceedings.

The commander reaffirmed the security outfit’s dedication to maintaining law and order, exposing deceitful activities, and protecting Ogun State residents.

“We, therefore, commend the collaborative efforts of the VGN, other community stakeholders, and our operatives in foiling this plot, and urge citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities. This incident highlights the importance of community cooperation in ensuring safety and security,” the commander added.