The Lagos State Police Command has announced its investigation into a suspected kidnapping case involving an unidentified female adult on Monday, January 1, in the Victoria Island area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, conveyed this information in a conversation with PUNCH Metro on Tuesday.
A user on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, named Bishop Khale, raised concerns in a video posted on the same day. In the video, he claimed that a woman was in distress, attempting to exit a black Pathfinder on Ahmadu Bello Way.
Reacting, Hundeyin said, “There is no indication that there was an abduction but we are looking into the incident. No one had also come forward to report any case of kidnap to the police.”
In the post, Khale mentioned that he documented the driver’s face and the vehicle’s number plate.
He detailed how he pursued the vehicle and attempted to warn other motorists, who, unfortunately, disregarded his efforts.
He wrote, “Happening now on New Year’s Day. A lady was struggling to get out of this Black Pathfinder on Ahmadu Bello Way, Lagos. I believe she’s been kidnapped. I got the face of the driver and the plates,” he wrote.
“For the record: I raised the alarm. Called on area boys, but most of them hesitated. The driver got back in the car and drove off. I followed the car around V.I, hoping I’d see a policeman to report to, but none was on the route they followed. They later started driving back towards the Third Mainland Bridge. I even flagged down cars behind me and kept screaming someone was being kidnapped. Everyone overtook me. I already followed them around horning for some minutes before they parked. That’s when I remembered to take a video.”
Reports state that the abduction of a car dealer, widely known as Ejike Conversion, who was taken by armed individuals on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the Ladipo Spare Parts Market.
In what seemed like a coordinated effort, an unidentified group of armed men reportedly kidnapped the proprietor of a well-known hotel situated at Grandmate bus stop in the Ijegun area of the state back in October 2023. It was reported that his family paid approximately N100 million as ransom before his eventual release.
Similar incidents of abduction were documented on Governor’s Road in Ikotun, Gowon Estate in Egbeda, and various locations within the Alimosho Local Government Area. In each case, the victims were compelled to pay substantial ransoms for their release.