Police rescue 8-year-old kidnap victim, arrest suspects in Lagos

Etim Effiong

The Lagos State Police Command has again arrested two male suspects, Desmond Ikechukwu Okafor (21) and Egwuonwu Gift Iyke (34) who conspired together and kidnapped an 8-year-old child, Daniel Chukwudi, on 11th July 2021.

The kidnap was planned and executed by the victim’s neighbour, Desmond Okechukwu Okorafor who, using his unhindered access to the family, lured the victim from his parents’ home at Aboru, Ipaja, and abducted him to Ajangbadi area of Lagos State, where he was kept in custody for six days before he was rescued.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said on Saturday, August 21, 2021 that 24 hours after the evil act, the suspects reached out to the victim’s parents and demanded N2.5m ransom as a condition for his release from captivity or else he would be killed.

“Following report by the distraught parents, operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau began a painstaking, diligent investigation which led to the arrest of the two suspects in their criminal hideout while the victim was also rescued from his detention where he was kept incommunicado,” he added.

According to him, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has directed that the suspects should be charged to court, vowing that kidnappers and other criminal elements would not be allowed to operate in the state.