A 25-year-old man has admitted he planned to leave Nigeria with money from a kidnapping. He was arrested after being involved in a crime where a 14-year-old boy was taken and held for ransom.

The suspect, Musa Shaibu, and four others allegedly kidnapped a boy named Hassan from his home in the Olodi-Apapa area of Lagos. Hassan is the son of a Bureau De Change operator, someone who exchanges money for a living.

After the kidnapping, the gang contacted Hassan’s father and asked for N20 million to release his son.

Musa later told the police that the group never meant to hurt the boy. Their only goal was to collect the money. He also confessed that he planned to use his own share of the ransom to travel abroad.

Police spokesman CSP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the incident. He said the boy’s father reported the kidnapping to the police, which led to the arrest.

On May 1, 2025, around 4:50 pm, police received the report and began investigating. The officers were sent to the ransom collection point, which was at a fuel station near Wema Bridge in Apapa. There, they arrested Musa Shaibu.

After the arrest, the police went to a hotel in the Ajegunle area, where they found and rescued the kidnapped boy. Luckily, he was not harmed. He was safely returned to his family.

The manager of the hotel where the boy was kept was also arrested to help with the investigation. Police say the case is still being looked into.