Police in Lagos have arrested a husband and wife who allegedly faked their own abduction to extort 10m naira (£5,000; $6,200) from their own families.
The couple, identified as Fred and Goodness, reportedly orchestrated the hoax on 7 January after failing to secure financial sponsorship for the husband’s plan to return to the United States.
According to police sources, the pair contacted relatives claiming they had been seized by kidnappers and pleaded for ransom money to save their lives. Fearing the worst, their families and friends managed to raise the full amount within just three days.
The ‘Cappa’ sting
The plot unravelled when the couple designated a school in the Cappa area of Mushin, Lagos, as the drop-off point for the cash.
Undercover operatives monitoring the location became suspicious when they observed the “kidnapped” wife entering the premises alone, followed shortly after by her husband. Moments later, the pair emerged together carrying a bag.
When police intercepted them and searched the bag, they discovered the 10m naira in ransom money.
‘A growing trend’
During interrogation, the wife reportedly admitted to encouraging her husband to plot the abduction because they were desperate for funds. “The husband wanted to travel back to the US, and he needed some money, but their sponsors were not forthcoming,” a police source said.
Lagos State Police spokesperson Abimbola Addebisi confirmed the arrest, stating that the couple would be charged in court once investigations are complete.
Law enforcement agencies say this is the latest in a string of “self-kidnap” cases across Nigeria. In December, a 26-year-old woman was arrested for staging her own abduction to extort 2.5m naira from her husband.
Analysis: Desperation meets deception
By Segun Ojumu Africa Eye News
Kidnapping is a terrifying reality in Nigeria, but “self-kidnapping” is becoming an increasingly common—and bizarre—by-product of the country’s economic pressures. For many families, the mere mention of an abduction triggers an immediate, frantic effort to raise funds.
By exploiting this deep-seated fear, Fred and Goodness didn’t just break the law; they betrayed the trust of those closest to them. As the police crack down on these hoaxes, there is a growing concern that real victims may eventually find it harder to convince the authorities—or even their own families—that their peril is genuine.
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