One Ataghar Namdoo, a 26-year-old girl and her boyfriend, have been arrested for faking her kidnap to extort money from her employer.

DSP Bala Elkana, Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos Police Command, in a statement on Sunday, said on January 16 at about 10pm, operatives from Anti Kidnapping Unit arrested Ataghar.

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The suspect had on January 9 at about 5:30pm conspired with her boyfriend, Emmanuel Idu and Okpe David (who claimed to be a military personnel), to produce a short video of her blindfolded and driven to a bush in a truck.

In the second video, the girl, a mother of one, was seen in a bush at Sangotedo area of Ajah threatened by a man wearing a mask and holding a jack knife.

Police later identified the masked man as Emmanuel Idu, who is the boyfriend of the girl. The abductors demanded N10 million.

“The two videos were sent to the employer of the lady with a threat to kill her and to also go after the family of the employer if the ransom is not paid”, the statement said.

Frightened by the threat contained in the video and the follow-up calls, the employer, who is into Fleet business, reported the case to the Police.

On the receipt of the case, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, ordered the Anti kidnapping unit to carry out an in-depth investigation into the case.

Police say the videos were then thoroughly analysed alongside other vital leads.

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The statement added: “A well-coordinated operation was put in place which led to the successful rescue of the self-arranged victim of the abduction and the arrest of one of the two suspects, Okpe David.

“The Command has taken steps to verify the claim by David that he is a military personnel. Police have equally launched a manhunt of the second male suspect, Idu, who is on the run. David confessed to have provided the truck used.

“The truck was actually driven by him. He also did the video recordings sent to the employer of the Lady. The three suspects all came from Benue State.

“They have known each other for so many years. Both the lady and the man arrested confessed to the commission of the crime, that their aim was to extort money from the girl’s employer which they intended to share among themselves.”

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