Nigerian Entrepreneur Recounts Arrest Over SIM Card Linked to Kidnapping Case

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Summary: A Nigerian entrepreneur recounted being arrested and harassed after a SIM card she recently purchased was wrongly linked to a N50 million kidnapping and murder case despite evidence proving otherwise.

A cchas recounted a harrowing experience in which she was arrested and nearly detained over a SIM card reportedly linked to a kidnapping and murder case involving a N50 million ransom.

In an interview with BBC Yoruba, she said that the incident began on October 16, 2025, when a supposed customer messaged her business WhatsApp to buy nightwear.

According to her, the customer requested photos of available items, selected two, and claimed she was using her husband’s phone because her device was faulty. The customer initially asked for delivery to a hotel, but the businesswoman declined, stating she typically uses a dispatch rider. They eventually agreed to meet at a junction near her residence.

The situation, however, took an unexpected turn upon arrival.

“I thought the man was the husband she mentioned,” she said. “As I was attending to them and arranging the items, they suddenly seized my phone, presented identification, and said they were police officers. They told me I was under arrest.”

She said the officers presented documents containing her phone number and alleged movement records, claiming the SIM card had been under surveillance since 2024. In her defence, the entrepreneur maintained that she had only recently purchased the SIM card and used it primarily in a MiFi device for internet access, not for calls.

Following her arrest, she said her lawyer advised verifying the SIM registration details with the network provider. At the office, officials reportedly requested her National Identification Number (NIN) to confirm ownership.

“Within minutes, it showed I bought the SIM on April 15, 2025, while the alleged crime occurred on January 1, 2024,” she said.

Despite the discrepancy, she claimed the officers remained unconvinced and subjected her to harassment. Reflecting on the ordeal, the businesswoman described the experience as deeply traumatic.

“There is a saying that ‘may Nigeria never happen to you.’ It happened to me,” she said. “They really harassed me that day.”