A 15-year-old boy has allegedly staged his own kidnap and demanded for the sum of N500,000 as ransom. The minor, who was paraded in Jos, the Plateau state capital on Thursday, August 15, told journalists that he initiated the plan with his friends in order to enable him buy clothes and celebrate his graduation, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Briefing journalists on the arrest of the minor, the commissioner of police, Plateau command, Isaac Akinmoyede, said that five persons were arrested in a case of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, including the victim, who stage-managed his own kidnap.

He said that the father of the victim, Jerry Vichi, had on July 19 reported at ‘A’ Division, Jos that his son, working as an apprentice at a motor vehicle electrical wiring shop, did not return after the day’s job.

The police commissioner said the suspect’s father reported that he received a phone call from a hidden number informing him that his son had been kidnapped and taken away from Jos.

“The father said that the caller demanded for a N500,000 ransom and threatened the boy’s life,” he said.

Akinmoyede said the command had arrested 44 suspects in connection with alleged kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable murder and other cult-related activities as part of its efforts to protect lives and property of the people of the state.

“We have also arrested two suspects in a case of threat to life and kidnapping at Bokkos local government area and another for criminal activities, armed robbery and allegedly belonging to an unlawful society, with locally-made pistol and two live ammunition recovered.

“Three suspects for culpable murder and cult-related offences were also arrested for shooting one Chinedu Okoye dead at Chorbe junction in Jos north local government area, while other armed robbery suspects were also apprehended,” he said.

NAN reports that the suspects were paraded, along with three AK 47 rifles, three magazines with 30 rounds of live ammunition and two unregistered motorcycles, amongst others.

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15 year old boy in Jos stages own kidnap, demands N500k