Police in Nigeria’s commercial capital say they are cracking down on a growing number of staged kidnapping scams that have spread fear and led to ransom payments after being circulated on social media.
The Lagos State Police Command said it is closely monitoring online platforms after discovering that several widely shared videos purporting to show kidnappings were carefully orchestrated hoaxes.
In an interview Sunday with the News Agency of Nigeria, police spokeswoman Abimbola Adebisi said the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh ,had deployed tactical squads and anti-crime units to improve rapid response across the state.
She said area commanders and divisional police officers have also been directed to work with community leaders and residents to strengthen information sharing and early reporting.
“We are closely monitoring reports on social media and other platforms to promptly verify and address any incidents that may cause public anxiety,” Adebisi said.
Police said they have uncovered several fake abductions in recent days, often accompanied by extortion demands. In one case, a 26-year-old housewife allegedly staged her own kidnapping, triggering panic among relatives at home and abroad.
According to police, the woman’s husband, who lives in South Africa, received reports that she had been abducted in Lagos. Kidnappers demanded 10 million naira ($6,700), later reduced to 3 million naira. The husband paid 2.5 million naira, but the woman was not released.
“The inconsistencies raised red flags and prompted deeper scrutiny,” Adebisi said. Investigators later determined that the incident was not a kidnapping but a coordinated scam.
Police said the woman confessed to staging the abduction with the help of an accomplice in Osun State, who provided a SIM card used to negotiate the ransom via WhatsApp. She also admitted that the iPhone she claimed was stolen during the incident had already been sold.
In a separate case, police said they arrested five suspects aged 15 to 20 for organizing another fake kidnapping that went viral online. Investigators found that a 15-year-old boy, aided by four friends, staged his own abduction in a friend’s room in the Ago Palace area of Lagos to extort money from his mother.
Police warned that those involved in staging kidnappings or spreading false information would be prosecuted, urging residents to verify incidents and report suspicious activity to authorities.
