Detectives attached to the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a fake suspected kidnapper, who tried to swindle The Sun Newspapers Deputy Managing Director (DMD), Mr. Steve Nwosu, when his wife, Toyin, was kidnapped.

The suspect, Odo Sebastian, 25, a 200L student of Economics of Kogi State University, was said to have got Nwosu’s phone number from one of the national dailies and put a call across to him, claiming that his wife was in his custody. He demanded N100,000 from Nwosu if he wanted to have his wife back alive.

The Sun Deputy MD, Steve Nwosu and his wife, Toyin.

Sebastian said: “The news about the kidnapped wife of The Sun DMD broke at a time when I desperately needed money.
The money was to pay for something in school. I cashed in on the situation to possibly extort money from him. I got Nwosu’s phone number from the back of the paper. I put a phone call across to him. I told him that I could assist to get the release of his wife. The man was so excited when I told him. He asked me how much he would send to me.

 
I told him to send only N100,000.” According to Sebastian, Nwosu told him that he had N2.5 million as a ransom for anybody who was ready to assist in locating and securing his wife’s release. He said: “When Nwosu mentioned that huge amount, I was shocked because I’d never received or touched such amount of money before.

 
Immediately I heard about the money, I told him to send the money to me. I waited endlessly. The following day, without receiving the money, I called him. But to my surprise, he told me he had sent the money to the real kidnappers. I stopped discussing with him. I was later arrested by the police who tracked me through my phone conversation.”

“I swear, I don’t know the kidnappers. I was only cashing in on the situation to extort money from Nwosu. If the police like, let them kill me, I don’t know the people that kidnapped Toyin. I am begging the government to look into the issue. I swear to God Almighty, I don’t know any thing about the abduction of Toyin.
“I was trailed through the phone number I used in communicating with Nwosu. I was picked in the school. I told you that I am an Economics Student of the Kogi State University. I am in 200 level. I am afraid that my arrest may affect my education.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni said the case was being investigated.