The Lagos State Police Command has made a startling arrest, detaining a 26-year-old woman for allegedly orchestrating her own kidnapping to extort a hefty sum of N2.5 million from her husband.
The Report of a Kidnapping
According to police sources, the saga began on November 24, 2025, when a lawyer, identified as Hamzat, reported that his brother's wife had been abducted by unknown armed men. The supposed kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N10 million for her release. After negotiations, the amount was reportedly reduced to N3 million, and eventually, a payment of N2.5 million was made.
A police team was swiftly deployed to track the criminals and rescue the victim. However, before they could locate any hideout, the complainant informed them that the woman, identified simply as Misturah, had been released and was back with her family.
Unraveling the Hoax
The following day, Misturah was invited to the command headquarters for debriefing. She gave a detailed account, claiming six armed men in a silver Toyota Venza took her to an undisclosed location. She stated they seized her iPhone 12 Pro Max and only freed her after the N2.5 million ransom was paid into her bank account and handed over.
However, investigators grew suspicious. Their probe led to the arrest of a 30-year-old man named Daniel in Ede, Osun State, on December 3. From him, police recovered a SIM card used to register the WhatsApp account central to the ransom negotiations.
Daniel confessed that Misturah was an online acquaintance of about two years. He stated she requested to use his SIM card to register a WhatsApp account to "resolve some personal issues." He provided the one-time password, enabling her to activate the account. After she deactivated it, he began receiving strange messages on the line, which locked him out of his own WhatsApp. When he confronted Misturah, she allegedly told him she had used the account to "settle issues" with her husband, Ridwan, who is based in South Africa.
Confession and Recovery of Evidence
Faced with Daniel's statement, Misturah broke down and admitted to faking the entire kidnapping to extort money from her spouse. The investigation also led to the recovery of the iPhone she claimed was with kidnappers. Police found that she had sold the device for N380,000 to one Yusuf Sodiq, 34, instructing him not to insert any SIM card immediately.
The state police spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the incident, stating that investigations are ongoing. "Appropriate charges will be filed at the conclusion of the probe," she added.
This case highlights the lengths to which individuals may go for financial gain, wasting precious police resources meant for genuine emergencies. The Lagos police have demonstrated thorough investigative work in piecing together the elaborate hoax.
