Smart or dumb? Driver kidnaps self in Edo, collects ransom to pay swindlers

by Iyobosa Omoregie

The police in Edo state have arrested a 28-year-old driver, Henry Alwansedo, who allegedly masterminded his own kidnap in order to extort money from his employer.

Edo police spokesman, Anthony Airhuoyo, confirmed the arrest on Friday in Benin. Airhuoyo said Joshua Agbede, the driver’s employer, had reported the alleged abduction to the police on December 12 at Western Boys High School at Ikpoba Hill, Benin. According to him, Agbede who is a baker reported that his driver, Alwansedo, was abducted while returning from his normal duties, delivering bread to customers.

“Alwansedo spoke with his wife on phone, telling her that after much negotiation, the kidnappers demanded N150,000 ransom, which Mr Agbede eventually gave to the wife.”

Airhuoyo said the police became suspicious about the whole incident, so operatives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Section of the police arrested the driver on January 2.

“During interrogation, the driver made a confessional statement that he was not actually kidnapped but rather fell into the hands of fraudsters based in Lagos,” Airhuoyo said, adding that Alwansedo also informed the police that the fraudsters swindled him of N116,300 which he collected from customers.

Airhuoyo said that Alwansedo also confessed that N150,000 purportedly paid as ransom was given to the fraudsters.

“The police discovered that the driver stage-managed all his plans without the knowledge of his wife,” Airhuoyo said. He said the suspect would be prosecuted when the police completed their investigations. Airhuoyo then warned the public to report all abduction cases to the police for prompt action. He said that not all cases of abduction were real “as from records majority are masterminded by the victims”.

Comments (2)

  1. The Nigerian police could be funny sometimes, did the driver give that confession under duress? Torture can make anyone confess to anything #just saying

  2. If truly this driver did this to his employer definitely hes a crook that deserves no pity , but the brutality and extreme culture of torture by the un-professional nigerian police is something else to be wary of. Its difficult to conclude on this issue but I just smell a rat somewhere and really wish the truth about the whole episode should be established before taking irrational decision.

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