Lagos Police Arrest 26 Foreign Nationals After Online Romance Sparks Alleged Kidnap Claim
By The The The People’s Voice Nigeria News
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested 26 foreign nationals following an investigation into an alleged kidnapping report filed by a Cameroonian woman who travelled to Nigeria to meet a man she had met online.
It was gathered that the incident began on June 16 when a 22-year-old woman, identified as Delphine, reported at a police station that she had been kidnapped after discovering that the man she had met online was allegedly not who he claimed to be.
The woman had travelled from Cameroon to meet a 39-year-old Chadian national with whom she had been in an online relationship. Upon arriving in Nigeria, she allegedly discovered that the man was already married.
Following the report, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Fatai Tijani, directed that the case be transferred from the Command Tactical Unit, Area N, Ijede, Ikorodu, to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for further investigation.
The investigation, which focused on allegations of a possible romance scam and a suspected fake kidnapping alert, is being handled by the Diplomatic and Foreign Nationals Desk of the SCID under the direct supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the department, Mr Dayo Akinbisehin.
A police source disclosed that the woman initially reported a case of kidnapping, prompting the police to launch a swift investigation.
“Further inquiries, however, revealed that the woman came to Nigeria to meet her lover but allegedly discovered that he was already married.
“The woman was seeking a way to return to her country without informing the man and subsequently made claims suggesting that she was being held against her will.
“Acting on the tip-off, police operatives traced the location linked to the complaint and discovered several foreign nationals residing in an apartment without valid documentation,” the source said.
According to the source, investigations led to the arrest of 26 foreign nationals, comprising 19 Chadians and seven Cameroonians, aged between 19 and 50 years, including four women.
Police sources said preliminary investigations indicated that the individuals were not victims of kidnapping but were allegedly involved in a networking business scheme linked to a company identified as Ignite.
The source further disclosed that many of the foreign nationals were unable to provide valid travel documents, while others were suspected to have entered the country through irregular routes.
“There was nothing to suggest that they were being held against their will. Most of them came into Nigeria without passports or proper travel documents,” the source added.
According to him, the foreign nationals are currently undergoing profiling and immigration-related checks as authorities work to establish their legal status and determine whether any laws were violated.
Investigations are ongoing, and appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the inquiry.
