The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a staged kidnapping plot involving a schoolboy and arrested five suspects connected to the crime, bringing relief to residents who were alarmed by a viral video that showed the boy pleading for mercy in what appeared to be a kidnapper’s den.

According to the police, the incident was first reported as a missing person case at the Ago Palace Police Division on November 26, 2025. The case quickly gained public attention after a distress video circulated online, sparking fear and concern among members of the public. However, further investigation revealed that the kidnapping was deliberately planned and executed by the supposed victim himself, 15-year-old Victor Aligwo, in collaboration with four friends.

Police investigations showed that the suspects used the room of one of them, Umeh Victor, to stage the fake abduction. To make the act convincing, they recorded a video showing Victor Aligwo begging for help and circulated it to create panic and pressure his family into paying a ransom.

The suspects allegedly targeted the boy’s mother after learning that she had recently received a sum of ₦4 million from a contribution. Their plan succeeded when a ransom of ₦1.7 million was paid and transferred to one of the suspects’ bank accounts. The money was later shared among the group.

Acting on intelligence and digital tracking, detectives traced the Point-of-Sale terminal used for the transaction, which led to the arrest of all five suspects on December 17 and 18, 2025, at the Volkswagen Roundabout and Ago Palace areas of Lagos. Those arrested include Kosiko Patrick, 17; Victor Aligwo, 15; David Odudu, 19; Anyabike Kingsley, 20; and Umeh Victor, 19.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed that investigations are ongoing and assured the public that the suspects would be charged in court upon completion of the inquiry.

Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, warned youths and criminal elements against engaging in fraudulent and criminal acts, stressing that the command would not tolerate any form of crime in the state. He also reassured Lagos residents that the incident was not a genuine kidnapping and urged them to remain calm, go about their lawful activities, and continue to report suspicious movements to the police.

The case has once again highlighted the dangers of misinformation and criminal schemes that exploit public fear, while underscoring the importance of thorough investigations and public cooperation in maintaining security.