Woman fakes own kidnap, demands N4.8m ransom in Edo

The Edo State Police Command has arrested a woman, Blessing Ogunu, for faking her own kidnap. 

Spokesperson of the command, Chidi Nwabuzor, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, April 15, 2024, said the suspect, a staff of a real estate company, demanded a N4.8m ransom for her release. 

According to the PPRO, Ms Ogunu conspired with two other suspects, Esther Anthony and Ukpebor Joel to fake her own abduction.

During interrogation, the suspect confessed to masterminding the self-abduction because her company refused to allocate land to a customer whom they had collected money from. 

“On 23/03/2024, the Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Unit received a complaint from one Samuel Prince Omomuzo of No 102, Ihama Road, Benin City that one Blessing Ogunu, a staff of Bliss Legacy Limited, Benin City was kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded four million, eight hundred thousand naira (#4,800,000.00) ransom. 

“The operatives using technical intelligence, arrested the supposed victims of kidnap, one Blessing Ogunu, Esther Anthony and Ukpebor Joel.

“During interrogation, Blessing Ogunu confessed that she masterminded the whole process of herself being kidnapped because her company refused to allocate land to a customer whom they had collected money from. 

“The suspects will soon be charged to court.”