The family of five-year-old Memunah Abdulrahman, abducted in Ejigbo, Lagos, has been contacted by kidnappers demanding a ₦500,000 ransom for her release

The family of five-year-old Memunah Abdulrahman, who was abducted in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State on March 9, 2025, has received a ransom demand from her kidnappers.

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The girl’s father, Abdurrahman Alimi, revealed in an interview that the abductors contacted the family last month (April), demanding ₦500,000 for Memunah’s safe return.

According to Alimi, the kidnappers called using a private number and instructed the family to pay the ransom. They reportedly hung up after making the demand and have not contacted the family since. Despite the lack of further communication, Alimi expressed his belief that his daughter is still alive.

Alimi stated that the family has informed the police about the ransom demand and were advised to ask the kidnappers to contact them via WhatsApp.

However, he expressed uncertainty about the progress of the police investigation, noting that it will soon be two months since Memunah’s abduction.

Recounting the events of March 9th, Alimi explained that Memunah was abducted while returning home from an Islamic school with her sister.

They hid their phone numbers and asked us to pay N500,000 before they would release my daughter. They hung up the phone and have not called back since then. I believe my daughter is still alive.

A suspect reportedly approached the two girls near a well-known supermarket in Ejigbo, lured them inside under the pretense of buying them items, and then vanished with Memunah, leaving her sister behind.

In an earlier report, the distraught father had made a public appeal for assistance in securing his daughter’s release. “We need help.

We are pleading with anyone who may recognise the suspect to come forward,” he pleaded. “Our daughter is only five years old, and we desperately need any assistance to bring her home.”

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, had previously confirmed that the Commissioner of Police, Owohunwa Jimoh, had directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to take over the case.

While the family acknowledged that SCID operatives visited their community shortly after this directive, Alimi informed our correspondent that they have since received no updates on the investigation’s progress.