Police operatives have arrested two Pakistanis, who allegedly specialized in kidnapping people for ransom.
The spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
He said that the suspects were arrested after a distress call on Wednesday at the Ikeja Division of the command about the kidnap of a 48-year-old native of Pakistan in the Ikeja area of the state.
“The suspects booked the victim’s flight to Lagos and lodged him in a hotel on February 28, 2025,” Hundeyin said.
“The next day, the seven suspects visited the victim, overpowered him, tied his hands and legs, and sent a message to his boss in Kano to pay the sum of N50 million ransom for his release or else he would be killed.
“The boss paid N1 million three days later to buy time and thereafter alerted the police.”
Hundeyin stated that upon the receipt of the distress call, the anti-crime patrol of the division was swiftly deployed to the scene, resulting in the rescue of the 48-year-old victim and the arrest of the two suspects.
He identified the suspects as Roman Gull and Aftab Ahmad, aged 19 and 28 respectively, stating that five other Pakistanis linked to the abduction escaped arrest.
Preliminary investigations had revealed that the two suspects and five others lured the victim to Lagos State from his base in Kano under the pretext that they had a job for him as a chef.
See the statement below:
KIDNAPPING: LAGOS POLICE ARRESTS TWO PAKISTANIS
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two Pakistanis who specialise in kidnapping for ransom in the Ikeja Area of Lagos.
According to the command, A distress call was received at the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, about the kidnap of a 48-year-old Pakistani (name withheld) within Ikeja.
The Anti-Crime patrol of the Division was swiftly deployed, leading to the rescue of the victim and arrest of two of the Pakistani abductors, Roman Gull and Aftab Ahmad aged 19 and 28 respectively, while five other Pakistanis escaped.
The command spokesman person, Benjamin Hundeyin explain through a statement that Preliminary investigations reveal that the two arrested suspects and five others lured the victim to Lagos from his base in Kano under the pretext that they had a job for him as a chef.
He said, “The suspects booked the victim’s flight to Lagos and lodged him in a hotel on February 28, 2025. The next day, the seven suspects visited the victim, overpowered him, tied his hands and legs, and sent a message to his boss in Kano to pay the sum of Fifty Million Naira ransom for his release or else he would be killed. The boss paid One Million Naira three days later to buy time and thereafter alerted the Police.”
He adds that exhibits Recovered at the scene are; their operational vehicle, a grey coloured Toyota Camry salon car, the victim’s Two Thousand Dollars cash, three ATM cards, green card, driver’s license and NIN slip.
Hundeyin says concerted efforts are on to arrest the fleeing suspects and arraign them in court upon conclusion of investigation into the case while the rescued victim is in good condition and has established contact with his family.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Olohundare Jimoh, while commending officers and men of Ikeja Division for a job well done, wishes to assure residents and visitors to Lagos State of the total commitment of the Command to their safety and security at all times.
CSP BENJAMIN HUNDEYIN, anipr, mipra
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
LAGOS STATE COMMAND
IKEJA
MARCH 6, 2025.
