A 35-year-old security guard of Rubber Estate in Ose River, Ovia South West local government area of Edo State, Akpooh Edet, has been arrested for staging his own kidnapping and demanding a ransom of N50 million from his employer.
Edet was apprehended at his hideout by operatives of the Ondo Amotekun corps in Igbotako, Okitipupa local government area of Ondo State.
The arrest was successful following assistance from the Edo Command of the Department of State Security (DSS).
Edet was among 22 suspects paraded at the headquarters of the Ondo Amotekun Corps.
The Amotekun commander Akogun Adetunji Adeleye stated that Edet was found at the residence of Libon James, who might have been unaware of Edet’s staged kidnapping.
The two suspects will be handed over to the DSS for further investigation. Senior Security Manager Oluwole Adesonlu disclosed that Edet has worked for the firm for about 10 years. He added that Edet and his gang initially demanded N50 million, later reducing it to N35 million before settling for N15 million.
He said: “We discovered that one of my guards was missing. We began the search for him and contacted the DSS.
“It was during investigation that I contacted Amotekun in Igbotako and Edet was tracked to where he was hiding. Two accomplices were arrested in Edo State and we discovered that it was a self-kidnap to extort money from the company.”
