A 35-year-old security guard named Akpooh Edet, employed at a Rubber Estate in Ose River, Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, orchestrated his own kidnapping and sought a ransom of N50 million from his employer.
Edet was apprehended at a hideout in Igbotako, located in the Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, by operatives from the Ondo Amotekun Corps. His capture followed a request for assistance from the Edo Command of the Department of State Security (DSS).
He was one of 22 suspects showcased at the Ondo Amotekun Corps headquarters. The commander, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, revealed that Edet was found at the home of a man named Libon James, who may not have been aware that Edet was involved in a kidnapping scheme.
Both Edet and Libon will be handed over to the DSS for further investigation. Oluwole Adesonlu, the Senior Security Manager of the firm, noted that Edet had been with the company for approximately a decade. Initially, Edet and his accomplices demanded N50 million, later lowering their request to N35 million, before finally agreeing to accept N15 million.
He said: “We discovered that one of my guards was missing. We began the search for him and contacted the DSS.
“It was during the investigation that I contacted Amotekun in Igbotako and Edet was tracked to where he was hiding. Two accomplices were arrested in Edo State and we discovered that it was a self-kidnap to extort money from the company.”
