The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old man, Bello Azeez, for allegedly faking his own abduction in a plot to extort N500,000 from his family.
Azeez, a native of Ipele in Owo Local Government Area, was said to have initially asked his father for financial assistance to settle a debt. When his request was turned down, he reportedly devised a plan to stage his kidnap.
According to police sources, the suspect told his family on August 11, 2025, that he was travelling to Ibadan. Shortly after, he began making distress calls, claiming he had been abducted. Believing him, relatives quickly mobilised and raised the sum of N500,000 through contributions and a GoFundMe appeal.
However, suspicion arose when Azeez directed that the ransom be paid directly into his personal bank account. His family promptly alerted the police, who tracked his phone and discovered that he never left Owo.
He was eventually arrested and, during interrogation, confessed to staging the abduction.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state confirmed that the suspect would be charged in court once investigations are concluded.
While describing the incident as a case of greed and deception, the command urged young people to shun criminal tendencies and advised parents to play active roles in guiding their children against negative influences.
