A resident of Aboru in the Ipaja area of Lagos, Desmond Okoroafor, has been arrested for the alleged kidnap of his neighbour’s eight-year-old son, Daniel Chukwudi.

Okoroafor, 21, was apprehended alongside one Egwuonwu Iyke, whom he reportedly connived with to abduct the boy and hold him captive.

From their hideout in the Ajangbadi area of the state, the duo were said to have contacted the victim’s family and demanded N2.5m ransom for his release.

The police said operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau went after the suspects after the victim’s parents reported the abduction, which occurred on July 11, 2021.

The spokesperson for the police in the state, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, in a statement on Saturday, said Okoroafor exploited his unhindered access to the family to lure the victim from home to Ajangbadi, where he was in captivity for six days before he was rescued.

He said, “The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two male suspects, Desmond Ikechukwu Okafor (21) and Egwuonwu Gift Iyke (34), who conspired and kidnapped an eight-year-old child, Daniel Chukwudi, on 11th July, 2021. The kidnap was planned and executed by the victim’s neighbour, Desmond Okechukwu Okorafor.

“Twenty-four hours after the evil act, the suspects reached out to the victim’s parents and demanded N2.5m ransom as a condition for his release from captivity or else he would be killed.

“Following a report by the distraught parents, operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau began a painstaking, diligent investigation, which led to the arrest of the two suspects in their criminal hideout, while the victim was also rescued from his detention where he was kept incommunicado.”

Ajisebutu said the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had directed that the suspects be charged.

(Sunday PUNCH)