Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested four persons, including a make-up artist, for faking a kidnap and demanding N5 million ransom.

The state police public relations officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement attached with a group picture of the four suspects and shared on the command’s official X handle on Friday.

According to the statement, the suspects arrested include Margret Itodo, 25, Agnes Ogbeh, 23, Esther Anyanwu, 24 and Anthony Chinakwe, 24.

It read, “On March 19, 2024, Agnes Ogbeh, resident in Akure, had travelled to Lagos and was reportedly kidnapped in Lagos. The family back in Akure received a video showing Agnes and one other tied, gagged, and groaning with blood droplets around them. The ‘kidnappers’ demanded the sum of five million naira for the release of Agnes. 

“Upon receipt of the complaint, detectives of the command commenced a discreet and diligent investigation into the matter. The hideout was located where Agnes, the other lady in the video and two others were found living freely together.

“Further investigations revealed that Margaret Itodo is a professional make-up artist who was hired to make the video look real. All four have made confessional statements and are to be arraigned at the conclusion of investigation.”

The state commissioner of police, Adegoke Fayoade, commended the detectives for their timely investigation and called on residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity around them to the nearest security agency.