Story by Iyiola Ayomide
LAGOS-THE police in Lagos have arrested two Pakistanis in Lagos for kidnapping a fellow citizen and demanded N50 million ransom. Sources said the victim was lured from Kano to Lagos on the pretense that there was job for him. It was gathered that they booked flight ticket for him and lodged him in a hotel upon arriving Lagos but came to his hotel room the next day, over powered him, tied his legs and hands and reached out to his master in Kano that he had been kidnapped.
Lagos Police Public Relations Officer CSP Benjamin Hundeyin who confirmed the incident described the foreign criminals as a notorious kidnap syndicate in the state saying that the command was poised at bringing their reign of terror to an end. He said, “In strict compliance with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, that all Police Commands should stamp out kidnapping and other violent crimes throughout the country, the Lagos State Police Command has made a huge success in the busting and arrest of two vicious and notorious Pakistanis who specialize in kidnapping people for ransom. A distress call was received at the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, March 05, 2025 about the kidnap of a 48-year-old Pakistani within Ikeja. Anticrime patrol of the Division was swiftly deployed, leading to the rescue of the victim and arrest of two of the captors, Roman Gull ‘m’ and Aftab Ahmad ‘m’ aged 19 and 28 respectively, both Pakistanis while five other Pakistanis escaped. Preliminary investigations reveal that the two arrested suspects and five others lured the victim to Lagos from his base in Kano under the pretext that they had a job for him as a chef. The suspects booked the victim’s flight to Lagos and lodged him in a hotel on February 28, 2025. The next day, the seven suspects visited the victim, overpowered him, tied his hands and legs, and sent a message to his boss in Kano to pay the sum of Fifty Million Naira ransom for his release or else he would be killed. The boss paid One Million Naira three days later to buy time and thereafter alerted the Police.
Recovered from the suspects are their operational vehicle, a grey coloured Toyota Camry salon car, the victim’s Two Thousand Dollars cash, three ATM cards, green card, driver’s license and NIN slip. Furthermore, concerted efforts are on to arrest the fleeing suspects and arraign them in court on conclusion of investigation into the case. Meanwhile, the rescued victim is in good condition and has established contact with his family.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, while commending officers and men of Ikeja Division for a job well done, wishes to assure residents and visitors to Lagos State of the total commitment of the Command to their safety and security at all times.”