Lagos Police arrest two Pakistani kidnappers, rescue victim

The Lagos State Police Command has successfully apprehended two Pakistani nationals involved in a kidnapping operation, following a directive from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, to eliminate kidnapping and violent crimes across the country.

This development was disclosed in a statement by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed that the suspects, identified as Roman Gull, 19, and Aftab Ahmad, 28, were arrested after officers from the Ikeja Division responded swiftly to a distress call on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

The call reported the abduction of a 48-year-old Pakistani man within the Ikeja area. Five other suspects, also Pakistanis, managed to escape and are currently being pursued by the police.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects lured the victim from his base in Kano under the guise of offering him a job as a chef. They arranged his flight to Lagos and accommodated him in a hotel on February 28, 2025.

The next day, the seven-member gang overpowered the victim, tied his hands and legs, and demanded a ransom of ₦50 million from his employer in Kano, threatening to kill him if the money was not paid. The employer initially paid ₦1 million to buy time before alerting the police.

During the operation, the police recovered a grey Toyota Camry, $2,000 in cash, three ATM cards, a green card, a driver’s license, and an NIN slip belonging to the victim.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, commended the officers for their swift response and reassured residents and visitors of the Command’s unwavering commitment to public safety.

The Police further disclosed that efforts are ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects, while the rescued victim, now in stable condition, has reconnected with his family.