Samuel according to Punch was among the nine suspects paraded on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, at the police headquarters in Ilorin.

The newspaper reports that three other suspects, Jenmo Usman, 27, Iliashu Mohammed, 25, and Maude Umaru, 21, were also arrested for alleged kidnapping, criminal intimidation and conspiracy.

The three suspects were said to have conspired and threatened their employer that they would kidnap him if he failed to give them two million naira.

While parading the suspects, Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun said Samuel went to hide in her parents house in Ilorin claiming she was kidnapped by an unknown gang while cleaning her compound.

She thereafter demanded N5m ransom, which was later reduced to N1m.

“On 15/06/2019 at about 0530 hours, Mrs Yemi Samuel hatched a self-kidnapped scenario. She left her home and went into hiding, claiming she had been kidnapped while cleaning the compound by an unknown gang and taken to an unknown destination and demanded for N5 million ransom for her release.

“She added that her kidnappers weren’t willing to talk to anyone on phone due to fear of their voice being recognised. She later called and said that the money has been reduced to N1 million.”

The police boss also said that “Effort was intensified and N500, 000 cash was arranged by her husband as well as family and well-wishers.

She directed them to take the money to Iluke town but before the transaction could be effected, SIB Kwara operatives led by O/C SIB, Saka Fagade tracked the suspect to Kulende area, Sango, Ilorin and effected the arrest of Mrs Yemi, who hid herself in her parents’ rented apartment.”

Explaining why she committed the crime, Samuel said she faked the kidnap to raise money for her husband.

“I’m a graduate and I read Mathematics and I live in Kabba town with my husband. Things are hard for us and my husband is not finding life easy, so I decided to raise money for him from members of his family and that is why I went to hide myself thinking that his family would raise money for him to rescue me.”

Egbetokun said that all the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded on their cases.