By DEBORAH AKPEDE

Operatives of the police command in Lagos State have arrested two Pakistanis for allegedly kidnapping a fellow Pakistani in the Ikeja area of the state.

The command Spokesman, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said, in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, that the arrest of the ?vicious and notorious Pakistanis? was a huge success.

According to Hundeyin, a distress call was received by the police at the Ikeja Division on Wednesday about the kidnap of a 48-year-old Pakistani within the area.

?An anti-crime patrol from the division was swiftly deployed, leading to the rescue of the victim and arrest of two of the captors, aged 19 and 28 years, while five other Pakistanis escaped,? he said.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the victim was lured to Lagos State from Kano.

?The two suspects and five others (allegedly)lured the victim to Lagos from his base in Kano under the pretext that they have a job for him as a chef.

?The suspects booked the victim?s flight to Lagos and lodged him in a hotel on Feb. 28.

?The next day, the seven suspects visited the victim, overpowered him, tied his hands and legs and sent a message to his boss in Kano to pay the sum of N50 million as ransom for his release or else he would be killed.

?The boss paid N1 million three days later to buy time and thereafter alerted the police, ? Hundeyin said.

The police spokesperson said that an operational vehicle, a grey coloured Toyota Camry salon car was recovered from the suspects.

?Also recovered was $2000 cash, three Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, green card, driver?s licence and National Identity Number (NIN) slip.

Hundeyin said that concerted efforts were on to arrest the fleeing suspects and arraign them in court.

According to him, the rescued victim is in good condition and has established contact with his family.

Hundeyin quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, as commending officers and men of Ikeja Division for a job well done.

Hundeyin said that the CP assured residents and visitors to the state of the command total commitment to their safety and security at all times.

Hundeyin said that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, had directed all police commands to stamp out kidnapping and other violent crimes throughout the country. (NAN)

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