27 foreigners held hostage in Lagos rescued by police

The Lagos State Police Command has rescued 27 foreigners held hostage in the state.

The spokesman of the Command and a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed this to newsmen on Monday.

Hundeyin, who spoke at a news briefing, said the victims were lured into Nigeria with false promises of employment.

He said the victims: 18 men and nine women from Ghana and Benin Republic, were held in the Isheri Oshun area of Lagos State.

The Police Public Relations Officer said: “A distress call from one of the victims led officers from the Conflict Response Unit to the location, where they freed the individuals. 

“Preliminary investigations suggest the victims were to be transported elsewhere, raising concerns about potential international trafficking. 

“The police have launched an extensive probe to identify the traffickers and their network.”

Apart from the 27 victims, the Command also rescued six kidnap victims and arrested several suspects, including two Pakistani nationals and two Nigerians.

Hundeyin said: “In one of the cases, two Pakistani nationals: Umarangol, 19, and Aftab Hamad, 28, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping a fellow Pakistani whom they had lured to Lagos under the guise of offering him employment as a chef. 

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“The victim was held hostage in a hotel on Awolowo Road, Ikeja, where the kidnappers demanded a N50 million ransom for his release.

“A swift intervention by the police led to the victim’s rescue, and two of the seven suspected kidnappers were apprehended. 

“The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), and the Pakistani embassy has been notified of the development.

“In another incident, three individuals who had gone to inspect land near the new airport area in Lekki were kidnapped by five armed men. 

“The abduction took place on March 7, 2025, around 5:50pm. 

“However, intense pressure from police operatives forced the kidnappers to abandon their victims and flee.

“The victims were successfully rescued within 24 hours and have since been reunited with their families. 

“The police have launched a manhunt to track down and arrest the fleeing suspects.”