Lagos police on high alert over surge of staged abductions

Monday, January 19, 2026 - The Lagos State Police Command has announced that it is monitoring social media platforms to uncover and curb the rising cases of staged kidnappings across the state.

According to the command, several videos circulating online that depict kidnapping incident, which sparked public panic and led to ransom payments, were later found to be coordinated scams.

Speaking to newsmen on Sunday, January 18, the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, had deployed Tactical Squads and anti-crime units to enhance rapid response. She added that Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers had been instructed to engage with community leaders and residents to boost information sharing.

“The command is also closely monitoring reports on social media and other platforms to promptly verify and address any incidents that may cause public anxiety,” she said.

Adebisi noted that in recent days, the command recorded multiple cases of fake abductions and extortions. “One such case involved a 26-year-old housewife whose supposed abduction set off alarm bells across borders,” she said.

 The police spokesperson explained that the woman’s husband, who lives in South Africa, received reports that armed men had kidnapped his wife in Lagos. “The ransom demand was steep, N10 million, before it was negotiated down to three million naira. Hoping to save his wife’s life, he paid N2.5 million, yet she was not released.”

“It was that inconsistency that triggered deeper police scrutiny; A special squad of the Lagos State Police Command was deployed, and what they uncovered was not a hostage situation, but a carefully choreographed scam,” she said.

Investigations revealed that the alleged victim staged the kidnapping with the help of an accomplice in Osun State, who supplied a SIM card used for ransom negotiations via WhatsApp. The police said the woman later confessed, adding that even the iPhone she claimed was stolen during the abduction had already been sold.

“In a related development, the Command apprehended five suspects aged between 15 and 20 years, for orchestrating another fake kidnapping that went viral on social media,” Adebisi said. She added that police investigations found that a 15-year-old boy, with the help of friends, staged his own abduction in a friend’s room in the Ago Palace area to extort money from his mother.

“A ransom of N1.7 million was paid before detectives traced the transaction through a POS terminal, leading to the arrest of the suspects.” She explained that the case, initially reported as a missing person on 26 November 2025, triggered widespread panic before the truth emerged.

Adebisi said the command also arrested a young couple for allegedly faking the wife’s kidnap in a bid to extort N10 million from relatives and friends. “Investigations showed that the scheme was motivated by financial hardship and the husband’s failed attempts to return to the United States,” she said.

The plot allegedly unraveled at a school in Cappa, Lagos, after security personnel became suspicious of the couple’s behaviour and alerted the police. The 19-year-old wife later claimed it was a “prank kidnapping,” admitting she had “acted” to help her husband cope with frustrations over his travel plans.

Adebisi urged members of the public to remain vigilant, stressing that security was a shared responsibility. She advised residents to verify distress calls, emphasizing the importance of avoiding hasty financial transfers. She also warned against false reporting and criminal deception, noting that such acts divert critical security resources.

“Avoid rushing to transfer money without confirmation and promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency numbers: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264 and 08039344870,” she said.

She added that families should establish internal verification codes and maintain steady communication with loved ones. She assured that the police command would continue to intensify efforts to protect lives and property, warning criminal elements to desist from illegal acts.