How Ivorian national conspired with female friend to fake own abduction to extort money from his family

Friday, September 26, 2025 - Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued a 38-year-old abducted Ivorian man, Kacou Alleby, in Ogun State, who was reported kidnapped.  

The Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, September 25, 2025 said investigation revealed that Alleby conspired with a female suspect to stage his own kidnapping in order to extort money from his family in Abidjan.

Hundeyin said the rescue operation followed a distress request received from the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Abuja on behalf of authorities in Côte d’Ivoire.

According to the distress request, Alleby was reported kidnapped on September 12, 2025 and the alleged abductors sent torture videos and voice notes to his family, demanding a ransom.

Hundeyin said that the operatives later tracked the suspects to Matogun, Ogun State, where a 28-year-old female, also an Ivorian, identified as Angela Arisa, was arrested.

“The Nigeria Police Force, through the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), has successfully rescued one Kacou Alleby, male, aged 38, an Ivorian national, following a distress request received from the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja on behalf of authorities in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire,” the statement read.

"The victim was reportedly kidnapped and held hostage on 12th September, 2025. The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, immediately issued directives to IRT operatives who then promptly launched a coordinated operation to rescue the foreign national. After intelligence gathering, the location of the suspects was found in Matogun area of Ogun State. 

"In the swift operation, one Angela Arisa, female aged 28, also an Ivorian national, was arrested, who later led the operatives to a hideout at an estate in Olambe, Ogun State, where the supposed victim was rescued unhurt. Subsequent investigation revealed that the purported victim, Kacou Alleby, and the suspect, Angela Arisa, had conspired to stage the kidnap with the aim of extorting his family in Côte d’Ivoire. 

"They had recorded torture videos and voice notes demanding ransom to pressure the family into payment. Efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest other accomplices who aided in producing the fake torture videos. 

“The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns such criminal conduct and reiterates that self-kidnap is a serious crime under Nigerian law. IGP Egbetokun warns that criminal elements will face the full weight of the law, as such acts not only undermine security but also attempt to