Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two Pakistani nationals, Roman Gull, 19, and Aftab Ahmad, 28, for allegedly leading a kidnapping syndicate in the state.
It was gathered that the suspects, alongside five accomplices, lured a 48-year-old Pakistani from Kano State with a fake job offer as a chef before abducting him and demanding a ₦50 million ransom from his employer.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that officers from the Ikeja Division acted on a distress call and successfully rescued the victim.
However, some gang members managed to escape.
“A distress call was received at the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, about the kidnap of a 48-year-old Pakistani within Ikeja.
“Anti-crime patrol teams were swiftly deployed, leading to the rescue of the victim and the arrest of two of his captors, Roman Gull and Aftab Ahmad, both Pakistani nationals, while five others escaped,” Hundeyin stated.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested suspects and their accomplices lured the victim to Lagos by promising him employment as a chef.
They booked his flight from Kano and lodged him in a hotel on February 28, 2025.
The next day, the gang visited the victim, overpowered him, tied his hands and legs, and sent a message to his employer in Kano demanding a ₦50 million ransom, threatening to kill him if their demand was not met.
In a bid to buy time, the employer paid ₦1 million three days later before alerting the police.
Items recovered from the suspects included a grey Toyota Camry, $2,000 cash belonging to the victim, three ATM cards, a green card, a driver’s licence, and a National Identity Number slip.
Hundeyin confirmed that efforts were ongoing to track down the fleeing suspects, adding that they would be prosecuted upon the conclusion of the investigation.
Meanwhile, the rescued victim is said to be in good condition, and contact has been established with his family.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, commended the officers for their swift response and assured residents of the command’s commitment to maintaining security in the state.