Police foil kidnap attempt, arrest two in Lagos

The Lagos State Police Command on Monday said it arrested two suspects over alleged attempted kidnap of a teenager (name withheld) in Iyana-Ipaja area of the state.

Parading the suspects, the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, said the suspects planned to carry out their nefarious act on March 1.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that also paraded are two suspected drug peddlers said to have specialised in selling illegal drugs to primary and secondary school students.

The police also paraded 12 other suspects, who allegedly stole or received cars snatched at gunpoint and drove same to a workshop in Kaduna.

The allegedly stolen vehicles are a Toyota Camry, Nissan Versa and Honda CRV.

The commissioner said that the police also recovered vehicle number plates, English pistol, military uniform and one hand grenade from the suspects.

Mr. Imohimi said that the suspected kidnappers were arrested following a tip-off by a person who they invited to take part in the failed kidnap.

“When he sighted the father of the teenager, he discovered that he is someone who he knew from his hometown and that he had been good to him.

“He sought audience with the man’s wife who later discussed it with her husband and subsequently reported to the police,” the commissioner said.

The police boss said that the suspected drug peddlers were arrested following reports by the Ministry of Women Affairs, after which the schools’ authorities and the pupils were interrogated.

“The interrogation led to arrest of two suspects who had been selling Tramadol, a highly addictive stimulant, to underage pupils.

“The suspects confessed to have been selling the drugs to the pupils,’’ Imohimi said.

The commissioner advised parents to keep constant watch on their children and their friends.

He also advised members of the public to be more vigilant, adding that a suspect who disguised as a man was arrested on the Eko Bridge, Lagos, with a prototype of Berreta pistol.

“The suspect used the toy prototype Berreta pistol in dispossessing motorists of valuables,’’ Mr. Imohimi added.