Housewife who planned own kidnap arrested in Kwara

A middle-aged housewife, Mrs. Yemi Samuel, who allegedly arranged her own kidnapping to help her husband, has been arrested and paraded by the Kwara State police command.

Speaking with journalists while parading nine suspected kidnappers and rioters in Ilorin on Wednesday, the state police commissioner, Kayode Egbetokun, said that the mother of one demanded N5million ransom.

The police boss said that the suspect had on June 15, 2019 at about 5:30 am left her home in Kogi State and went into hiding at Kulende area, Sango, Ilorin, Kwara State, “claiming she had been kidnapped while cleaning the compound by unknown gang and taken to unknown destination to demand N5million for her release.

“She added that her kidnappers weren’t willing to talk to anyone on phone due to fear of their voice being recognised. She later called and said that the money has been reduced to N1million.

“Effort was intensified and N500,000 cash was arranged by her husband as well as family and well-wishers. She directed them to take the money to Iluke town, but before the transaction could be effected, SIB Kwara operatives led by the o/c SIB CSP Saka Fagade, tracked the suspect to Kulende area, Sango, Ilorin and effected her arrest from her parent’s rented apartment.”

The police boss, who said that the suspect had confessed to the crime, added that the case was still under investigation.

Speaking with journalists, the suspect, Mrs. Yemi Samuel, a graduate of Mathematics from the University of Ado Ekiti, said that she organised her kidnap to raise money to help her family, adding that she regretted her action.

Mrs. Samuel, who said that she asked that the ransom be paid into her account, added that her child belonged to her first husband.

She said that she is yet to have a child for her husband, adding that her husband was not aware of her kidnap plan and that he only got to know after her arrest.

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The victim also urged her child not to follow her footsteps, appealing to the government to save her life and offer her a job.

Also, the state command paraded three suspected kidnappers for alleged kidnap of one Sarafa Yusuf of Kebe compound, Ilofa via Idofian, Kwara State on June 10, 2019.

Yusuf had reported that on June 9, 2019 at about 6:00 pm, he received a phone call demanding N2million from him or else he will be kidnapped and killed.

“Based on this, the complainant made an arrangement with the police on where to drop the money, which is at Iyana Eleja junction via Idofian. It was later discovered that one Jenmo Usman, a worker to the complainant was the one that picked the polythene bag at 11:30 am of the same date, while he was immediately arrested by the police, leading to arrest of other two suspects, who are also workers to the complainant and jointly planned and conspired to commit the crime,” the police commissioner said.

He also said that the case was under investigation at the F-SARS, Ilorin.