Lagos teenage boy nabbed in N20m ransom threat

The Police Command in Lagos State has apprehended an 18-year-old suspect in connection with a N20m threat-to-life and ransom demand case.

The Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, disclosed during a briefing on Tuesday at the command headquarters in Ikeja.

He said the arrest followed a carefully executed decoy operation by police operatives.

According to him, the command received a complaint from the Ojokoro Local Council Development Area concerning a threat to life and a demand for N20m.

“Acting on the information, operatives were immediately deployed to track and apprehend the suspect.

“The suspect was apprehended on March 27 while attempting to collect the ransom during a sting operation.

“Items recovered from him include an HP laptop and a flash drive, which are currently being examined as part of ongoing investigations,” he said.

The commissioner said the suspect confessed to the crime and also admitted involvement in a previous attempted burglary at a commercial bank.

He added that the arrest formed part of the command’s intensified efforts to combat kidnapping, extortion and related violent crimes across the state.

Tijani assured that investigations were ongoing to uncover possible accomplices and establish the full extent of the suspects’ criminal activities.

He said the suspect would be prosecuted upon completion of the investigations.

The commissioner also reiterated the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order.

He warned criminal elements to desist from activities capable of threatening public safety, adding that the police would continue intelligence-led operations across the state.