Police rescue 27 kidnapped foreigners from Lagos apartment

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have successfully rescued 27 foreigners who were allegedly kidnapped and confined in an apartment in the Isheri Oshun area of the state.

The command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this during a press briefing on Monday, stating that the rescue operation was initiated following a distress call from one of the victims.

According to Hundeyin, the Lagos Police Complaint Response Unit received an urgent report from a female victim, who claimed that she and others were being held against their will and denied freedom of movement.

Upon receiving the alert, the Divisional Police Officer for the area was promptly notified, leading to a swift rescue operation.

“Somebody reached out to the Complaint Response Unit of the Lagos Police Command and complained that she had been kidnapped in an apartment and not allowed to leave. The CRU immediately contacted the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area, and officers were dispatched to the scene. Upon breaking into the apartment, a total of 27 foreigners were found inside,” Hundeyin explained.

The rescued individuals comprised 18 males and nine females, with nationalities including Ghanaians and citizens from the Republic of Benin.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the victims were lured into Nigeria under the false pretense of securing employment opportunities.

“We are currently investigating whether Lagos was their intended final destination or if they were being trafficked to another country. However, they are now safe and in our custody,” Hundeyin added.

In a related incident, the police arrested a couple for allegedly kidnapping an online vendor in the Iyana Ishashi area of Lagos.

Hundeyin revealed that the victim had reported the incident on Sunday, explaining that she was abducted while attempting to deliver a product to a supposed customer.

“The victim received an order for a product and proceeded to the customer’s residence in Iyana Ishashi. Upon arrival, the door was opened, and she was forcibly dragged inside by a man and a woman. The suspects were later identified as Emmanuel and Mazioma Okafor,” he stated.

Following her abduction, the couple allegedly stripped the victim naked, assaulted her, and took nude photographs, demanding a ransom of N2 million while threatening to leak the images if she failed to comply.

“The victim managed to pay N300,000 that day, which secured her release. However, she was warned that if she failed to pay the remaining amount, her photos would be publicly released. The victim subsequently reported the crime to the police, which led to an immediate investigation and the arrest of the suspects,” Hundeyin added.

The Lagos State Police Command has assured the public that thorough investigations are ongoing into both cases, with efforts being made to bring the perpetrators to justice.