Lagos Police unmask social media ‘kidnappings’ as ransom scams, intensify surveillance

The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a growing trend of staged kidnappings circulated on social media, warning residents that several widely shared abduction videos were deliberately orchestrated scams designed to extort ransom payments.

The Command said it is actively monitoring social media platforms and other digital spaces to identify, verify and dismantle such criminal schemes, which have fueled fear and public anxiety across parts of the state.

Speaking in an interview, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, has deployed tactical squads and anti-crime units across strategic locations to enhance rapid response and intelligence gathering.

She added that Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) have been directed to intensify engagement with community leaders and residents to strengthen information sharing and early detection of suspicious activities.

“The command is closely monitoring reports on social media and other platforms to promptly verify and address any incidents capable of causing public anxiety,” Adebisi said.

According to the police, several cases of fabricated kidnappings and extortions have been recorded in recent weeks.

One such incident involved a 26-year-old housewife whose alleged abduction triggered panic beyond Nigeria’s borders.

Her husband, who resides in South Africa, was informed that armed men had kidnapped his wife in Lagos and demanded a N10 million ransom, later reduced to N3 million.

Driven by fear, the husband paid N2.5 million, yet the supposed victim was not released.

The inconsistency prompted deeper investigation by a special police squad, which uncovered that there was no kidnapping, but a carefully choreographed scam.

Police investigations revealed that the woman staged the abduction with an accomplice in Osun State, who provided a SIM card used to negotiate the ransom via WhatsApp. The woman later confessed, admitting that the iPhone she claimed was stolen had already been sold.

In a related case, the Command arrested five suspects aged between 15 and 20 years for orchestrating another fake kidnapping that went viral online.

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Police said a 15-year-old boy, assisted by four friends, staged his own abduction inside a friend’s room in the Ago Palace area of Lagos 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 suspects’ arrest.

The incident, initially reported as a missing person case on November 26, 2025, had sparked widespread panic before police uncovered the truth.

Similarly, the police apprehended a young couple for allegedly faking the wife’s kidnap in a bid to extort N10 million from relatives and friends.

Investigations showed the scheme was driven by financial hardship and the husband’s failed attempts to return to the United States.

The plot unraveled at a school in Cappa, Lagos, after security personnel became suspicious of the couple’s behavior and alerted the police.

The 19-year-old wife reportedly admitted to planning what she described as a “prank kidnapping,” claiming she only “acted” to help her husband cope with frustration over his travel plans.

Adebisi urged residents to remain vigilant, verify distress calls before taking action, and promptly report suspicious activities, stressing that security is a shared responsibility.

She warned against false reporting, criminal deception, and acts capable of diverting critical security resources, advising families to establish internal verification codes and maintain regular communication with loved ones.

“Avoid rushing to transfer money without confirmation,” she cautioned, urging residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or through the Command’s emergency channels.

The police spokesperson also issued a stern warning to criminal elements to desist from all forms of crime, assuring Lagos residents that the Command will continue to intensify efforts to safeguard lives and property across the state, with public cooperation remaining vital to crime prevention.