The Lagos State Police Command has refuted claims of a kidnapping attempt in Victory Estate, Okota, Lagos.
A video circulating on social media depicted three men being questioned by residents of the estate. In the video, the men appeared to admit they were there to kidnap someone, fueling widespread concern.
However, the Lagos State Police Command, through its spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, issued a statement clarifying the situation.
According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, convened a fact-finding meeting to address the viral video.
Attendees included the Chairman of the Estate, the Chief Security Officer, two other residents of Victory Estate, and one of the men featured in the video.
Following a thorough interview process, the police concluded that the three men in the video were not kidnappers, and that no kidnapping incident occurred within the estate.
The Estate Chairman, Chief Security Officer, and a member of the Security Committee all confirmed to the Commissioner of Police that the men were not kidnappers and that the reports of a kidnapping were false.
The police statement described the video as misleading and malicious, intended to create fear and anxiety within the estate.
The investigation revealed that the three men had visited a friend at the estate around 10 PM on Monday, February 17, 2025. An argument between the men and a tricycle rider escalated, causing confusion and panic within the estate.
This commotion likely led to the mistaken belief that a kidnapping was in progress. The friend they were visiting was also present at the meeting with the Commissioner of Police.
The police investigation has definitively concluded that the incident was not a kidnapping attempt.