The Lagos State Police Command on
Monday paraded a 27-year-old man, Chukwuemeka Benson, for the alleged kidnap of
a British expatriate, Dickson Lee.
It had ben reported that Lee, who was kidnapped in Mafoluku
area of the state on his way from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport
last Thursday, had been rescued by the police on Sunday.
It was learnt that after kidnapping
the victim, the kidnappers demanded $1m (N159m) as ransom. However, police
detectives working undercover were able to negotiate N7.5m with the kidnappers.
It was learnt that the suspect was
arrested while he was attempting to collect the ransom.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar
Manko, said the suspect was arrested along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
Manko said after his arrest, Benson
led detectives to an uncompleted building in Okota area of the state where the
victim was found.
He said, “Benson came to collect
ransom around Okokomaiko on Lagos-Badagry Expressway, when he was arrested by
policemen of the Special Intelligence Bureau and the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad. One of his colleagues, who came with him, was shot during the operation,
but he escaped with bullet wounds.
“Benson led policemen to an
uncompleted building at Okota where Dickson (Lee) was rescued without paying
ransom and without any injury. Efforts are on to arrest the remaining suspects
at large.
“I urge people who have genuine
business in Lagos State not to be afraid as the state remains the safest part
of the country. People should also desist from paying ransom as this encourages
kidnapping.”
It was learnt that at the uncompleted
building, a locally-made revolver pistol with seven rounds of live ammunition
and two AK47 rifle magazines were recovered.
The suspect however denied being a
kidnapper. He said he was only used by the kidnappers at large to collect the
ransom.
The indigene of Abia State said, “I
sell second hand clothes for a living. However, some months ago, my goods worth
over N200, 000 were seized by men of the Nigerian Customs Service at Agbara,
Ogun State.
“I returned to my hometown to hustle
but things were very hard. I have younger female cousins, who are all widows so
I had to become the head of the extended family and decided to become rich by
all means.”
He said he went to borrow money from a friend he identified only as
Nonye, adding that the friend, who was the security guard at the uncompleted
building, promised to loan him N150, 000 if he would collect money from someone
on his behalf.
He said he innocently went to collect
the money when he was arrested by the police.
He said, “On Friday, I went to see
Nonye at the uncompleted building and he told me that he would loan me N150,000
which I could use as capital. I noticed a white man (Lee) sitting in one of the
rooms. I asked Nonye who the man was, but he told me to mind my business. The
white man was given juice and cake to eat.
“On Sunday, around 2pm, Nonye told me
to go with his friend, Ugo, and collect money from the owner of the building.
He said the money was for construction of the house but he did not tell me how
much. I went with Ugo on a motorcycle and Ugo told me to go collect money from
the owner of the building, sitting inside a car.
“When I attempted to collect the
money, I was immediately arrested. I did not know I was being used.
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