Police nab man who faked own kidnap
The Police have arrested a 25- year- old man, Olanilekan Popoola, for allegedly faking his kidnap on January 4 and demanding N100 million ransom.
A friend of the suspect stated that at around 9 am Tuesday, the suspect sent text messages to all his friends telling them that he has been kidnapped.
“We reported the matter to the State Anti Robbery Squad’s office, were policemen there mobilized themselves to comb Bwari Mountains, Mpape desert and all the mountains in Kaduna State, in search of him to no avail.
The SARS officials used all the needed trackers on the rescue mission and after three days, the suspect surfaced in Mokwa Niger State and sent a message that the kidnappers are still demanding for the money but left him. We went there with other members of his family to bring him back,” the friend stated.
Another member of the suspect’s family said they were shocked when the head of SARS, Chief Superintendent of Police Ben Igwe interrogated their brother and it turned out that he faked his kidnap to cover up N300 million he duped from people in the name of forex business.
“Instead of looking for the money to pay his investors, he faked being kidnapped and confessed that he faked the kidnap in order to get the money from his employers to pay those that invested in his forex companies.
The suspect in a chat with our reporter, said the SARS boss discovered his lies when he told him that the kidnappers abducted him by pointing a gun to his head at Area 10, Abuja and made away with a N100,000, leaving N5,000 in his breast pocket.
“I didn’t want to lie but I had to because of the debts on my head and I regret my actions,” he said.
When contacted Head of SARS, Ben Igwe, declined to comment on the issue and referred the reporter to the FCT Police Command.
Responding FCT Police Spokesman, Chief Superintendent Jimoh Moshood, said Olanilekan Popoola duped people of N400 million for his own use through forex business and the police arrested him.
He said the man confessed to the crime, while investigation is on going to get to the root of the matter.
Daily Trust Monday 10th January,2011
Page 53
By: Ogechi Ohalee
