15-year old boy stages his own kidnap in Jos and demands N500k ransom from his father ‘to buy clothes’

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested in Jos, Plateau State for allegedly staging his own kidnap and demanding the sum of N500,000 as ransom.

The minor, who was paraded on Thursday, August 15th told newsmen that he initiated the plan with his friends in order to enable him buy clothes and celebrate his graduation.

“I was the one who initiated the plan and not my friends. I wanted my father to give me money for clothes and to also celebrate my graduation,” he said.

Briefing newsmen on the arrest of the minor, the Commissioner of Police, Plateau command, Isaac Akinmoyede, said that five persons were arrested in a case of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, including the victim, who stage-managed his own kidnap.

He said that the father of the victim, Mr Jerry Vichi, had on July 19 reported at ‘A’ Division, Jos that his son, working as an apprentice at a motor vehicle electrical wiring shop, did not return after the day’s job. The police commissioner said that the suspect’s father reported that he received a phone call from a hidden number informing him that his son had been kidnapped and taken away from Jos.

“The father said that the caller demanded a N500,000 ransom and threatened the boy’s life,” he said.

Akinmoyede said that the command had arrested 44 suspects in connection with alleged kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide and other cult-related activities as part of its efforts to protect lives and property of the people of the state.