Police Arrest Teen Who Faked Own Kidnapping to Extort Father in Suleja

Police in Niger State have arrested a 15-year-old boy for allegedly staging his own kidnapping in an attempt to extort N200,000 from his father.

The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed the development in a statement on Monday, saying the teenager, identified as Kelvin Faga, was arrested alongside his 17-year-old accomplice, Mayowa Ojewuyi, in Suleja.

According to the police, Kelvin left home for church on July 20, 2026, but failed to return. The following day, his family reportedly received a phone call demanding a ransom of N200,000, with the caller claiming the teenager had been kidnapped.

Following a complaint lodged at the B Division Police Station in Suleja, detectives launched an investigation and acted on credible intelligence, which led them to a hotel in Suleja where Kelvin was found with Ojewuyi.

During interrogation, both suspects allegedly confessed that they conspired to fake the abduction in order to obtain N200,000 from Kelvin’s father and share the money between themselves.

The police said the suspects are currently in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), where further investigations are ongoing.

According to the command, they will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.