“I learnt kidnapping from watching Zubby Michael’s movies”- Kidnap Suspect

A 23-year-old self-confessed kidnap suspect, Ayobamidele Kudus Ayodele said actor Zubby Michael’s movies inspired him to carry on with the act of kidnapping.

Ayobamidele Kudus Ayodele was nabbed by the Nigerian Police Force Intelligence Response Team in Ogun State, headed by Tunji Disu, for allegedly abducting a private school pupil, Ebube Eze.

Ayodele had abducted the six-year-old boy from his school in Ojo Alaba area of Lagos on November 16, 2021 and kept him hostage for four days until a ransom of N550,000 was paid for his release. 

During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he learned kidnapping skills from watching Nollywood movies, actor Zubby Michael’s movies precisely.

According to Vanguard, Ayodele said, “Zubby Michael is my favorite Nollywood actor and he is good at kidnapping roles. I decided to try out some of the methods used by Zubby to kidnap children and adults in the movies.

“I started by visiting several schools around Ojo to see the possibility of picking children without anyone noticing. On November 16, 2021, I visited a school close to Alaba Market and stayed by the gate.

“I saw two pupils coming to school. One of them was holding a cane. I stopped them and started chatting with them. I took the cane from one of them and asked where he bought it. He mentioned the place but I told him to take me there. I whispered into his ears that I would buy him chocolates and biscuits.

“To avoid drawing attention to myself, I took the boy to a hotel in Ilogbo Eremi, Lagos. I called his father and demanded an additional N2million. We spent four days there before his family was able to raise N550,000. The boy stayed calm throughout because he had access to my phone which had several games.

I am sorry for causing his family so much pain. I am not a cultist or an armed robber. I do not have a gang. I just trained myself by watching Zubby Michael. My parents trained me very well, I was just impatient and greedy.”

Being the inspiration and role model behind such a derogatory act, Actor Zubby Michael is yet to release a statement in this regard, to clear the public that movies are fictitious as opposed to his factual way of life.