“I planned to travel abroad with ransom money” – Suspected kidnapper confesses

A 25-year-old suspected kidnapper, Musa Shaibu, has confessed that he planned to travel abroad with his share of the ransom money demanded for the release of a teenage victim.

Shaibu was arrested in the Ajegunle area of Lagos State following the abduction of a 14-year-old boy, identified as Hassan, the son of a Bureau De Change operator. The victim was kidnapped from his family home in Olodi-Apapa, with the suspects demanding ₦20 million as ransom.

“Our intention was not to harm the boy, but to collect the ₦20 million from his rich father. I would have travelled overseas with my own share of the money,” Shaibu reportedly told investigators after his arrest.

Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the suspect’s arrest followed a formal complaint by the victim’s father.

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According to Hundeyin, “On May 1, 2025, at about 4:50 p.m., detectives received a report from a complainant who alleged that his 14-year-old son, Hassan, had been kidnapped by a group of suspects in the Olodi-Apapa area. The kidnappers demanded ₦20 million for the boy’s release.”

He continued: “Based on the intelligence gathered, operatives were immediately deployed to the ransom collection point at a filling station near Wema Bridge in Apapa. One of the suspects, Musa Shaibu, was apprehended at the location.

“Further investigation led officers to a hotel in Ajegunle, where the victim was being held. He was rescued unhurt, debriefed, and reunited with his family. The hotel manager was also arrested and taken into custody for questioning.”

Hundeyin added that investigation is still ongoing as the police continue to track down the remaining members of the kidnapper gang.