In a striking case of deceit, the Ondo State Police Command recently apprehended 29-year-old Bello Azeez, a native of Ipele in Owo Local Government Area, for allegedly orchestrating his own kidnap. His goal? To extort ₦500,000 from unsuspecting family and friends.
According to DSP Olushola Ayanlade, the police spokesperson, Azeez first approached his father requesting ₦500,000 to settle a debt. When his plea was refused, he devised a desperate plan: staging his own abduction.
On August 11, 2025, Azeez told his relatives he was heading to Ibadan, only to remain in Owo throughout. He began making frantic distress calls, claiming to be held for ransom. His family and friends rallied to his side—launching a GoFundMe campaign and pooling together the demanded sum. Shockingly, they wired the ₦500,000 directly to his personal bank account, as instructed by Azeez himself.
Suspicion was eventually aroused when the ransom demanded was deposited into the victim’s own account—an unusual directive. Prompted by doubt, his distraught family alerted the police. Investigations revealed Azeez had never left Owo, leading to his swift arrest. Upon interrogation, he confessed to fabricating the entire scenario.
Authorities confirmed that upon completion of their investigation, Azeez will be arraigned in court. DSP Ayanlade emphasized the broader lessons from the incident—highlighting the dangers of greed, deceit, and the lure of quick money, while admonishing parents to guide their children against moral decay.
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