POLICE ARREST MAN FOR FAKING OWN KIDNAP TO EXTORT N500,000 FROM FAMILY IN ONDO
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By: Sefiu Ajape
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested 29-year-old Bello Azeez for allegedly staging his own kidnapping in order to extort money from his family and acquaintances.
In a statement issued on Saturday, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, spokesperson of the command, said Azeez, a native of Ipele in Owo Local Government Area, devised the plot after his father refused to lend him N500,000 to settle a debt.
“When his request was turned down, he staged his abduction. On Aug. 11, he claimed he was travelling to Ibadan, then started making distress calls to his parents and friends, alleging he had been kidnapped,” Ayanlade said.
According to the police, the suspect instructed that the N500,000 ransom, raised through family contributions and a GoFundMe account, be paid directly into his personal bank account—an arrangement that was initially followed.
However, suspicions grew when his family questioned why a genuine kidnap victim would ask for ransom money to be deposited into his own account. They promptly alerted the police.
Investigators later tracked the suspect’s phone and discovered he had been in Owo throughout the supposed abduction. He was arrested and confessed to the crime. The police confirmed he will be charged in court once investigations are concluded.
“This case underscores the dangers of greed and deceit, which can ruin lives. Parents and guardians are urged to guide their children against crime, peer influence, and moral decadence,” Ayanlade added.
He further urged members of the public to reject all forms of deception and to continue supporting the police in fostering peace, security, and progress in society.
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