“I Wanted to Flee Abroad With My Share” — 25-Year-Old Suspected Kidnapper Confesses After Abducting Teen for N20 Million Ransom in Lagos

In a chilling confession that underscores the rising desperation among youth-driven criminal networks, a 25-year-old suspected kidnapper, Musa Shaibu, has admitted to plotting an escape abroad with his share of a N20 million ransom after participating in the abduction of a 14-year-old boy in Lagos State.

Shaibu, who belongs to a five-man kidnapping syndicate, was arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command in the Ajegunle area. The gang had allegedly abducted a teenage boy named Hassan, the son of a prominent Bureau De Change operator, from his family’s residence in Olodi-Apapa.

According to Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the suspects demanded a whopping N20 million in exchange for the boy’s freedom.

“Our intention was not to harm the boy, but to collect the sum of N20 million from his rich father,” Shaibu told investigators with an unsettling calmness. “I would have travelled overseas with my own share of the money.”

The criminal plan, however, hit a dead end after the victim’s father lodged a complaint with the police on May 1, 2025. Acting swiftly, detectives were deployed to monitor a planned ransom drop-off point near Wema Bridge in Apapa. It was there that Shaibu was nabbed in a covert operation as he approached the location.

Further intelligence led operatives to a hotel in Ajegunle, where the abducted teenager was found and rescued unharmed. In a surprising twist, the hotel manager was also arrested and is currently being questioned for his potential complicity in the crime.

The victim has since been joyfully reunited with his family, while police authorities intensify efforts to track down and apprehend the remaining members of the gang still on the run.

Lagos State Police Command has reassured residents of its commitment to maintaining safety across communities, urging citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities promptly.

This incident serves as a sobering reminder of the growing sophistication of kidnapping syndicates, and the urgent need for a collective, proactive stance against criminal enterprises exploiting vulnerable citizens for profit.