A couple in Lagos, whose identities were not disclosed, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly kidnapping themselves and demanding a ransom of N5 million. SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesperson for the command, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday. According to Hundeyin, the man, a 53-year-old technician, and his wife, a 48-year-old masseuse and bone setter, were apprehended on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, after a family member of the man reported the purported kidnapping. The couple, who admitted to the crime, claimed that they planned the self-kidnap to raise N3 million to buy back their house in the Badagry area of Lagos.

The man proposed the idea to his wife and did not deny it when questioned by the police. He explained that he had communicated the plan via text message and had a specific purpose in mind. According to him, the reason for the self-kidnapping was to raise N3 million to repurchase their house.

According to the police spokesperson, the man stated that he chose to orchestrate the self-kidnap because he has financially stable siblings living abroad. He believed that if they were to hear about his supposed kidnapping with his wife, they would negotiate with the kidnappers and provide the ransom money.

Hundeyin pointed out that at the time the couple sent the text messages to their relatives claiming to have been kidnapped, they were still living in their house in Badagry. He emphasized that when the police visited the house on Tuesday, they found the wife and three children present.