Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have apprehended a 32-year-old painter, Chigozie Clement, for allegedly masterminding the kidnap of his client’s seven-year-old son in the Alapere area of Ketu.
Police said Clement lured the boy from his home on Monday and later called the child’s mother to demand a ransom of ₦7 million.
According to the command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the boy’s father immediately reported the matter to the Alapere Police Division. The case was then handed over to the Special Squad I unit for further investigation.
Detectives traced the suspect to Ijegun, where he was arrested. The boy was rescued unhurt from a locked room where he had been kept in captivity. He has since been reunited with his family.
Hundeyin explained that during interrogation, Clement admitted to the crime. The suspect allegedly told investigators that he turned to kidnapping because of financial pressure. Police said he will be charged in court soon, while further investigations are ongoing to determine if he had accomplices.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, assured residents that the Lagos Command would continue to use every available resource to combat crime and protect the public.
This latest arrest follows a similar incident in March when a couple, Emmanuel and Mmesoma Okafor, were taken into custody for allegedly kidnapping an online vendor in the Iyana Ishashi area. The victim was reportedly assaulted, stripped, and photographed by the suspects, who demanded ₦2 million to prevent the release of the images.
The victim managed to pay ₦300,000 before escaping and reporting the case to the police. The swift report led to the arrest of the couple and the recovery of evidence.
