An Imam in Kogi State has shared a chilling account of how a suspected kidnapper attempted to deceive a shoe vendor into unknowingly collecting ransom money. The story was posted on Facebook by Suleiman Ibn Yusuf on Thursday, June 5, 2026.
The Incident
According to the post, the suspect approached a shoe vendor and placed an order for shoes worth millions of naira. The suspect paid the amount into the vendor's bank account and then left, claiming he needed to find a vehicle to transport the goods.
After a few hours, the suspect returned and stated that he was no longer interested in the purchase. He demanded a refund and asked the vendor to transfer the money to a different account. However, the vendor refused, insisting that the refund must go back to the original account.
Vendor's Quick Thinking
The suspect tried to convince the vendor but failed. He eventually left and never returned. Sensing something was wrong, the vendor rushed to the nearest police station and filed a report.
Armed Operatives Storm Shop
A few days later, armed operatives stormed the vendor's shop. It turned out that the vendor's account number had been used by kidnappers to receive ransom money. The vendor's refusal to transfer the funds to a different account saved him from serious trouble.
Lesson Learned
The Imam narrated this story after Asr prayer, warning others to be cautious. The vendor's insistence on returning money only to the original account prevented him from being implicated in the kidnapping scheme.
