Woman Allegedly Fakes Kidnap, Demands ₦50m Ransom From Family
A married woman identified as Oluchi has been arrested after allegedly staging her own kidnapping and demanding a ₦50 million ransom from her family.
The incident began when her relatives reported to the police that she had been abducted in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. According to reports, the supposed kidnappers later reduced the ransom demand from ₦50 million to ₦20 million.
Believing her life was in danger, family members, including her daughter Anita who lives in Canada, reportedly launched efforts to raise the money and appealed to the public for assistance.
However, police investigations uncovered irregularities in the case, prompting detectives to trace phone records linked to the alleged kidnapping.
The investigation eventually led officers to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where Oluchi was reportedly found in the company of a man believed to be her lover.
A source familiar with the investigation said the police traced the man’s phone number to the hotel and discovered both individuals together.
“The police traced the number of the man to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State. They met the man and the kidnapped woman inside a hotel. They called the husband, and he was happy. It was at the station that the police broke the news to him,” the source said.
Reports also indicate that after her arrest, Oluchi pleaded with her husband not to reveal the true circumstances of the incident to their children.
Reacting to the development in a video circulating online, her daughter Anita expressed shock and disappointment, saying the family had genuinely believed her mother had been kidnapped.
She explained that they had involved the police from the beginning and had worked tirelessly to raise funds to secure her release.
“My mum has been released. My mum is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom. The law will take its course,” she said.
Anita added that the family intended to refund all donations received, stressing that no ransom payment had been made before the truth emerged.
The Harmony Ladies Club, a social group Anita belongs to, also issued a statement distancing itself from the incident. The group said its members had offered emotional, financial and logistical support in good faith, only to later discover that the kidnapping had allegedly been staged.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, CSP Moses Yamu, said investigations were ongoing and revealed that four suspects had been arrested in connection with the case.
The police are expected to continue their investigation as authorities work to determine the full extent conspiracy.
