The Kwara State Police command has paraded a housewife, Mrs Yemi Samuel, for allegedly faking her own kidnap in Kabba, Kogi State for a ransom of N5m.
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, said the middle-aged woman, who lives in Kabba, allegedly went into hiding at her parents’ home in Ilorin claiming that she was kidnapped by unknown persons while she was cleaning the compound, and taken to an unknown destination.
Egbetokun stated that from her hideout, the suspect demanded N5m ransom, which was later reduced to N1m.
The Police boss said Yemi Samuel’s husband and family members were able to raise N500,000, which was taken to Iluke in the Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Egbetokun said before the completion of the transaction, State Intelligence Bureau operatives had tracked the suspect to the Kulende area of Ilorin, where she was arrested.
The CP stated, “On June 15, 2019, around 5.30am, Mrs Yemi Samuel hatched a self-kidnap scenario; she left her home and went into hiding, claiming that she had been kidnapped while cleaning the compound by unknown persons and taken to an unknown destination, adding that her abductors had demanded N5m ransom for her release.
“She added that her kidnappers weren’t willing to talk to anyone on the phone due to fear of their voices been recognised. She later called and said that the ransom had been reduced to N1m.
“Effort was intensified and N500,000 was arranged by her husband as well as family members and well-wishers.
“She directed them to take the money to Iluke town, but before the transaction could be effected, SIB operatives in Kwara, led by the officer in charge, Saka Fagade, tracked the suspect to the Kulende area, Sango, Ilorin, and arrested her. She had hidden in her parents’ rented apartment.”
Samuel, who said she was a Mathematics graduate, confessed to committing the crime in order to raise money for her husband, whom she said was poor.
“I’m a graduate of Mathematics and I live in Kabba with my husband. Things are hard for us and my husband is not finding life easy; so I decided to raise money for him from members of his family; that was why I went to hide myself thinking that his family would raise the money for him to rescue me,” she stated.
