MICHAEL AKINOLA
Two men, Umah Lawal, 46 and Hassan Jubril, have landed in trouble in Lagos State for allegedly kidnapping and providing bank accounts details, where victim paid N9.4m ransom and they were traced.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspects, Lawal and Jubril, have been arrested and charged for conspiracy and kidnapping under the criminal laws of the state.
The incident happened on 28th May, 2025, in Ejigbo area of Lagos State, where they provided Access Bank account number 1850891419 with account name Umar Lawal to receive the N9,400,000.00 from one Agada Michael ‘m’ through electronic fund transfer, being money paid as ransom.
According to the Police, the suspects and others now at large conspired and abducted the complainant and kept him in captivity for several days before the ransom was paid and he was released.
However, the victim reported what happened to the Commissioner of Police Tactical team in Ikeja. The Police operatives moved into action, eventually arrested the suspects by tracking the bank account details, where the complainant paid the ransom.
After rounds of interrogation, the Police found them culpable and charged them before the Ogba Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
“That you, Umar Lawal ‘m’, Hassan Jubril ‘m’ and others at large, on the 28th May, 2025 at about 0918hrs, at Ejigbo Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: kidnapping and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Prohibition Law of Lagos State, 2017.”
COUNT II:” That you, Umar Lawal ‘m’, Hassan Jubril ‘m’ and others at large, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did unlawfully provided an Access Bank account number 1850891419 with account name Umar Lawal to receive the sum of Nine million, four hundred thousand Naira (N9,400,000.00) from one Agada Michael ‘m’ through electronic fund transfer, being money paid as ransom while unlawfully captured and detained him in your stronghold before he was released and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 2(1)(i)(ii) of the Kidnapping Prohibition Law of Lagos State, 2017.”
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Josephine Ihkayere, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi, granted them bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.