Operatives from the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two Pakistani nationals who are allegedly involved in kidnapping for ransom in the state.
The command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
Hundeyin explained that the suspects were apprehended following a distress call received at the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, March 5, reporting the abduction of a 48-year-old Pakistani man in the Ikeja area.
According to Hundeyin, an anticrime patrol from the division was promptly dispatched, leading to the rescue of the victim and the arrest of two captors – Roman Gull, aged 19, and Aftab Ahmad, aged 28 – both of whom are Pakistani nationals. Five other suspects managed to escape.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested suspects, along with five accomplices, had lured the victim to Lagos from his base in Kano under the guise of offering him a job as a chef.
“The suspects booked the victim’s flight to Lagos and checked him into a hotel on February 28, 2025,” Hundeyin said.
“On the following day, the seven suspects visited the victim, overpowered him, bound his hands and feet, and then sent a ransom message to his employer in Kano, demanding N50 million for his release, threatening to kill him otherwise. The employer paid N1 million three days later to buy time and then alerted the police.”
Items recovered from the suspects included their operational vehicle, a grey Toyota Camry, the victim’s $2,000 in cash, three ATM cards, a green card, a driver’s licence, and a National Identification Number (NIN) slip.
Hundeyin further added, “Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects and bring them to court once investigations are completed.”
He confirmed that the rescued victim is in good condition and has been in contact with his family.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, praised the officers of the Ikeja Division for their swift action and expressed his commitment to the safety and security of residents and visitors in Lagos State.
