The Edo State Police Command has uncovered a staged kidnapping involving a married woman identified as Oluchi, who allegedly faked her own abduction to extort N50 million from her family members. The suspect was eventually tracked down by security operatives to a hotel room in Delta State, where she was found lodged with her secret lover. Following her disappearance, the children of the suspect, including her daughter currently residing in Canada, had made frantic public appeals for financial assistance to raise the ransom, which was later negotiated down to N20 million by the purported kidnappers. The family had initially reported to law enforcement authorities that the woman was forcefully abducted around the Ikpoba Hill area within the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. However, a rigorous investigation launched by a specialized police team traced her coordinates across state lines into neighboring Delta State.
An anonymous source familiar with the operation revealed that the breakthrough occurred when investigators successfully tracked the mobile phone number of the male partner. The source stated, “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 wife begged the husband not to tell her children what actually transpired.”
In an online video broadcast, the suspect's daughter, Anita, expressed deep heartbreak over the startling revelation, stating that her mother’s deceptive actions have caused immense devastation to the entire family. She insisted that the household would not shield the suspect from legal consequences. In the video, Anita stated, “My mum has been released. My mum is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom. The family is in shock. This is not right. This has shattered my family. My dad has some health issues. This is so unfortunate. What did I do wrong? My reputation has been ruined. I am short of words. I am so mad. I have no hand in this. I never knew. I only wanted my mother back home. The law will take its course. I am sorry this is happening. I only did what any daughter would do. My family has been shattered. We were called that my mum has been released. We didn’t pay the kidnappers. The money is intact. We are going to make a refund. We involved the Police from the beginning. We now know it was not a real kidnapping. They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship. The guy was traced. They had agreed to take what we already raised to N20m.”
Reacting to the incident, the Harmony Ladies Club, a social organization to which Anita belongs, issued an official disclaimer via their corporate WhatsApp platform to dissociate the group from the fraudulent scheme. The association expressed deep disappointment, absolute shock, and immense embarrassment regarding the behavior of Mrs. Oluchi, noting that their initial interventions were driven purely by goodwill and solidarity. The official statement read, “When news of her alleged abduction broke, the club acted swiftly in good faith. Out of sisterhood, love, and a sense of community responsibility, we rallied immediately. Our members provided extensive emotional, logistical, and financial support during what we believed was a life-threatening crisis, carrying the heavy burden of anxiety alongside her family. It is with a profound sense of betrayal that we have now discovered, through investigations, that the entire kidnapping incident was staged by Mrs. Oluchi herself.”
The Police Public Relations Officer for the Edo State Police Command, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the development to newsmen, disclosing that multiple accomplices involved in managing the logistics of the fake abduction have been taken into custody. Ikoedem stated, “I can confirm the incident and also let you know that four people have also been arrested in connection with the incident.”
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