‘I joined kidnap gang to raise money for marriage’ — suspect tells Police

A 37-year-old man, Oluwatomi Obosi, popularly known as Tommy, has told the police that his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a Lagos businesswoman was driven by his need to raise money for marriage.

Obosi was among three suspected members of a cross-state kidnapping syndicate arrested by the Lagos State Police Command following the abduction of the businesswoman in Ijedodo, Lagos.

The victim was reportedly held for three days in a bush before her family secured her release after paying N21 million ransom, alongside a bottle of Eagle schnapps, a power bank and one kilogramme of frozen turkey.

The suspects, said to be indigenes of Agadagba community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, were traced to their hideout following the April 2026 operation.

The alleged gang leader, identified as ID, remains at large and is believed to be linked to kidnapping operations across several states.

Police investigations reportedly showed that the gang planned the operation in Ondo State before travelling to Lagos to execute it.

One of the suspects, 35-year-old Buawe, a sawmill worker, allegedly told investigators that he had been involved in kidnapping since 2010 but had decided to quit.

According to him, ID approached him in April and repeatedly persuaded him to participate in the Lagos operation. Buawe said he eventually agreed because of his previous experience living in Lagos and knowledge of the city.

He reportedly said the gang had no specific target when they arrived in Ijedodo, but ID later identified a “very beautiful duplex” and assumed its occupant was wealthy.

Buawe alleged that ID and another suspect, Alfred, entered the compound and emerged with the female victim.

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He said the victim raised an alarm as they approached the bush, attracting a passer-by. ID allegedly fired a shot into the air, forcing the man to kneel and plead for his life.

The woman was subsequently taken into the bush, where she spent three days in captivity.

Buawe claimed the victim initially refused to eat and survived mainly on biscuits. When the gang ran out of food, they allegedly used her phone to transfer N150,000 to a POS operator in Ijedodo and collected the money in cash.

On the third day, ID reportedly negotiated with the victim’s family, who initially offered N16 million. The gang allegedly rejected the amount before settling for N21 million.

Buawe said the ransom was received in dollars and that he was given N1.5 million as his share. He also admitted taking one of the victim’s phones.

Meanwhile, Obosi reportedly said he joined the operation after being introduced to ID through his girlfriend’s family.

He claimed his mother had advised him to get married, while his grandfather encouraged him to return to Agadagba to find a wife and raise money for a proper wedding.

Obosi said ID, who was the husband of his girlfriend’s sister, later recruited him because he lived in Lagos and could serve as a translator during operations involving Yoruba-speaking victims.

“I only agreed to follow them for the operation because I needed money to marry as soon as possible,” he reportedly said.

He claimed he received N2.5 million from the operation, while alleging that ID later collected N200,000 from each member of the gang after their return to Ondo State.

The Lagos State Police spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the arrests, saying the suspects remained in custody while investigations continued.

She said the suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations and appealed to members of the public with information on the fleeing gang leader to contact the police.

“There will be no hiding space for criminals in Lagos State,” Adebisi said.

The case highlights growing concerns over kidnapping syndicates allegedly operating across state boundaries, planning attacks in one state and retreating to another after collecting ransom.