A 23-year-old man identified as Ayobamidele Kudus Ayodele told authorities that he learned the skill of kidnapping youngsters for ransom from his favorite Nollywood actor, Zubby Michael.
In an operation led by Tunji Disu, agents from the Force Intelligence Response Team detained the suspect.
The FIRT is led by Disu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police.
Ayodele was apprehended in the Ojo Alaba region of Lagos State after snatching a six-year-old Remson Group of Schools student.
Ayodele kidnapped the boy for four days and refused to let him go unless his parents paid N550,000.
Following his arrest, he stated that this was his first kidnapping and that he had honed the technique of snatching youngsters by studying Zubby Michael.
He said: “I’m very intelligent and I did very well as a science student.
“Unfortunately, life became so hard that my family had to move into a village in Mowe, Ogun State, where we could get affordable accommodation.
“I started by hustling at Alaba International Market to survive.
I attract customers for traders and at the end of the day, I would be given a commission.
“Zubby Michael is my favourite Nollywood actor and he’s good at kidnapping scenes.
“I’m from a responsible family, and if I try to do anything with others, I may get caught.
“So, I decided to try out some of the methods used by Zuby to kidnap children and adults in the movies.”
A police source said: “Ayodele was declared wanted after a father, Mr. Afam Eze, whose son was abducted and released after he paid ransom, wrote a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba.
“In the petition, Afam, who resides at the Ojo Alaba area of Lagos State, stated that on November 16, 2021 about 9am, while he was at the Trade Fair, received a call from his distraught wife, crying and screaming that their six-year-old son, Ebube Eze, was missing.”
