The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two Pakistani nationals suspected of leading a notorious kidnapping gang that targeted individuals for ransom.

The arrests were made following a distress call received by the Ikeja Police Division regarding the abduction of a 48-year-old Pakistani man.

The suspects, identified as Roman Gull (19) and Aftab Ahmad (28), were apprehended while five other accomplices, all Pakistanis, managed to escape.

According to the police, the gang lured their victim from Kano to Lagos under the false pretence of securing him a job as a chef.

According to the spokesperson of the command, Benjamin Hundeyin, the victim was flown to Lagos on February 28 and lodged in a hotel.

The next day, the suspects visited him, overpowered him, tied his hands and legs, and demanded a N50 million ransom from his employer in Kano. In an attempt to buy time, the employer transferred N1 million before alerting the police.

Swift action by the anti-crime patrol team led to the rescue of the victim and the arrest of two kidnappers.

Items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Camry used in their operations, $2,000 cash, three ATM cards, a green card, a driver’s license, and an NIN slip.

Meanwhile, the rescued victim is in good health and has been reunited with his family.

“The Lagos State Police Command has made a huge success in the busting and arrest of two vicious and notorious Pakistanis who specialize in kidnapping people for ransom,” Hundeyin said in a statement on Thursday.

“A distress call was received at the Ikeja Division of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, March 05, 2025, about the kidnapping of a 48-year-old Pakistani within Ikeja. An anticrime patrol of the Division was swiftly deployed, leading to the rescue of the victim and the arrest of two of the captors, Roman Gull ‘m’ and Aftab Ahmad ‘m’ aged 19 and 28, respectively, both Pakistanis, while five other Pakistanis escaped.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that the two arrested suspects and five others lured the victim to Lagos from his base in Kano under the pretext that they had a job for him as a chef. The suspects booked the victim’s flight to Lagos and lodged him in a hotel on February 28, 2025. The next day, the seven suspects visited the victim, overpowered him, tied his hands and legs, and sent a message to his boss in Kano to pay the sum of a fifty million naira ransom for his release or else he would be killed. The boss paid one million naira three days later to buy time and thereafter alerted the police.

“Recovered from the suspects are their operational vehicle, a grey-coloured Toyota Camry salon car, the victim’s two thousand dollar cash, three ATM cards, a green card, a driver’s licence, and an NIN slip. Furthermore, concerted efforts are on to arrest the fleeing suspects and arraign them in court at the conclusion of the investigation into the case. Meanwhile, the rescued victim is in good condition and has established contact with his family,” he added.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, praised the officers for their swift response and reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to their safety and security at all times.