Man Fakes Own Kidnap, Collects ₦50,000 Ransom from Family Before Ondo Police Arrest Him
By Olusegun HOSEA
A 33-year-old man, Olawale Sikiru, has been arrested by the Ondo State Police Command for allegedly staging his own kidnapping and collecting ₦50,000 in ransom from his family before the plot was uncovered by detectives.
The Command also arrested one of his alleged accomplices, Agbelusi Ayomide, 23, who was said to have sheltered the suspect while the fake abduction was being carried out.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the incident began on July 5, 2026, when Mrs. Iyabo of Oda Road, Akure, reported that her son, Olawale Sikiru, had allegedly been kidnapped while travelling to Igbara-Oke for work by unknown gunmen.
The police said the report triggered a coordinated investigation involving intelligence gathering and forensic analysis of the telephone number used to demand a ₦1 million ransom from the victim’s family.
The investigation paid off on July 7, when detectives arrested Sikiru and discovered that he had masterminded the entire kidnapping to extort money from his family.
Police said the suspect succeeded in collecting ₦50,000 as part of the ransom before his arrest.
Further investigation led to the arrest of Ayomide, who allegedly conspired with Sikiru and provided him with accommodation while the fake kidnapping was being executed.
The Command said efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members of the syndicate believed to have participated in the criminal act, adding that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, CP Felix Ohagwu, commended the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for its professionalism and intelligence-driven investigation that exposed the fraud.
He warned members of the public against staging kidnappings or participating in any criminal conspiracy for financial gain, stressing that such acts waste security resources, inflict emotional and financial hardship on victims’ families, and attract severe legal consequences.
The police reiterated their commitment to tackling criminality through intelligence-led policing and urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to support efforts to safeguard lives and property across Ondo State.
