A 23-year-old woman, Nmesoma Josephine Nwoye, has been arrested by the Anambra State Police Command for allegedly faking her own kidnap in a bid to extort money from her parents.
Nwoye was said to have staged the act in connivance with her 24-year-old boyfriend, Chibuike Ogbu. The duo was apprehended on Friday, with operatives recovering N1.2 million from them, part of the ransom earlier paid by the young woman’s family.
Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the arrest in a statement, noting that the suspects had initially demanded N15 million before eventually settling for N3 million, which was transferred into Nwoye’s account.
Ikenga stated: “The suspects identified as Nmesoma Josephine Nwoye, female, aged 23 years, and Chibuike Ogbu, male, aged 24 years, were arrested after intelligence-led operations uncovered that the supposed victim conspired with Chibuike (her boyfriend) to stage her own abduction.
“The operatives also recovered the sum of N1,200,000 (one million and two hundred thousand naira), being part of the ransom earlier paid by the girl’s family members.
“Further information reveals that the suspects demanded N15,000,000 (fifteen million naira) ransom, and after negotiation, N3,000,000 (three million naira) was transferred into the victim’s account.”
Commenting on the case, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, linked the crime to moral decay in society, lamenting that many young people are increasingly resorting to criminality for selfish gains.
He urged parents, guardians, and religious leaders to intensify efforts to instil discipline, integrity, and sound values in their children and wards.
