“Self-Kidnaps” on the Rise in Nigeria: Lagos Police Warns Citizens to Verify Before Paying

By Yinka Giwa
The Nigeria Police has raised alarm over a growing trend of staged kidnappings, with many Nigerians allegedly faking abductions to extort money from relatives, friends, and well-meaning members of the public.

In an interview on Sunday, the Lagos State Police Command command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said several viral social media videos claiming kidnappings were in fact orchestrated scams designed to extract ransom payments. She explained that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, had deployed Tactical Squads and anti-crime units to strengthen rapid response and that Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers had been instructed to collaborate with community leaders for improved intelligence sharing.

Adebisi recounted several recent cases. In one, a 26-year-old housewife allegedly staged her own kidnapping, tricking her husband in South Africa into paying N2.5 million after initially demanding N10 million. Police investigations revealed that the “kidnapping” involved an accomplice in Osun State who provided a SIM card used for WhatsApp ransom negotiations. The woman later admitted to orchestrating the scheme, including falsely claiming her iPhone had been stolen.

In other incidents, police arrested five youths, aged 15 to 20, who staged a fake abduction in Ago Palace to extort N1.7 million from a mother. A separate case involved a young couple who allegedly faked the wife’s kidnapping to demand N10 million from relatives and friends, a scheme reportedly motivated by financial hardship and travel frustrations. The plot was uncovered at a school in Cappa after security personnel grew suspicious and alerted authorities.

SP Adebisi urged Lagos residents to remain vigilant, verify distress calls before acting, and avoid rushing to send money. She advised families to establish internal verification codes and maintain regular communication with loved ones. The police also warned perpetrators that such criminal deception diverts critical security resources and vowed to intensify efforts to safeguard lives and property across the state. Residents are encouraged to report suspicious activities via the command’s emergency numbers: 07061019374, 08065154338, 08063299264, and 08039344870.