Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fayode Adegoke, has called on Nigerians to refrain from paying ransom to kidnappers, emphasizing that such payments are unacceptable and contribute to the thriving illicit activities of kidnappers. Adegoke conveyed this message during an appearance on TVC’s Your View program on Wednesday.
Assuming the role of Commissioner of Police in December 2023, Adegoke succeeded Idowu Owohunwa, who had recently been promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police.
Despite the plea against ransom payments, incidents of kidnapping have persisted in the state. In one case, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Philip Aivoji, along with other party leaders, was abducted by unidentified gunmen along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Additionally, the family of a 13-year-old schoolgirl, Miracle Adereti, sought police intervention when she was kidnapped by an unknown gang in the Ikotun area of Lagos in December 2023.
The Lagos CP acknowledged these incidents but expressed skepticism about some reported cases, stating, “I don’t want to believe all these stories of kidnapping because the one in Gbagada, the one in Ago Okota, were not reported.” He assured that necessary action had been taken in the reported cases, emphasizing that incidents should be promptly reported to the police.
Adegoke also cautioned against heeding messages from hoodlums targeting communities, urging residents to disregard such communications and instead report them to the police for appropriate action.
