Lagos State Police say they detained Ayomide Fawehinmi, a 22-year-old man for attempted child trafficking.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Monday, said the suspect had been rescued from a mob in Empire Area of Surulere.
Hundeyin said police operatives attached to Surulere Division responded to a distress call from the area and rescued the man, who was alleged to lure a 15-year-old boy.
The spokesman said that preliminary investigations had shown that the boy was at his mother’s shop, when the suspect attempted to take him to an unknown destination.
The suspect was however accosted by a neighbour who raised the alarm.
“The suspect had already dispossessed the boy of an Itel Android phone to cut off communication with his mother.
“While the boy has been rescued unhurt and the phone recovered, investigation is ongoing to establish the full extent of the suspect’s culpability. The suspect will be arraigned in court depending on the outcome of the investigation,” he said.
Hundeyin said that the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Abiodun Alabi, applauded residents of the area for promptly alerting the police.
He, however, warned members of the public to desist from jungle justice, “as it is a crime”.
