A 54-year-old woman has been arrested by the Delta State Police Command for allegedly staging her own kidnapping in a bid to extort N15m from her younger brother.
The suspect reportedly told her brother that she had been abducted by some men and taken to a bush, where her alleged captors demanded N15m for her release.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a video showing the woman confessing to the alleged offence.
Edafe said the incident was reported at the Oguachukwu Divisional Police Headquarters on October 23, 2026, following which the Commissioner of Police directed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Obu-Luku, Aniocha South Local Government Area, to investigate the case.
He said the operatives launched an intelligence-led investigation that exposed the alleged plot and led to the woman’s arrest.
According to the police spokesperson, the case was unusual because the suspect was 54 years old, unlike previous cases of staged kidnappings involving teenagers and younger people.
He said, “We have heard of cases of self-kidnapping and fake kidnappings involving underage persons or teenagers aged 15, 16, 17 or 18 to 20. But we have never had a case involving a 54-year-old woman.
“It is quite unfortunate that she faked her own kidnapping because she wanted to extort N15m from her younger brother.”
In her confessional statement, the suspect admitted to staging the abduction and demanding the ransom from her brother.
She said, “I kidnapped myself. I told my brother I had been kidnapped when I went out to buy medicine, and it took me to the bush. I called my brother and told him.
“I told him they wanted N15m and that if he didn’t pay the money, they would kill me. It was the devil’s work. I want forgiveness.”
Edafe further disclosed that the woman claimed to have spent 12 days in captivity as part of the alleged scheme.
He added that police investigations indicated that the suspect did not act alone, as some other individuals were allegedly involved in the plot.
He said the police were tracking the alleged accomplices with a view to arresting them.
“Some of the people she conspired with are being tracked, and we are definitely going to arrest them,” he added. woman allegedly stages kidnap to extort N15m from brother
A 54-year-old woman has been arrested by the Delta State Police Command for allegedly staging her own kidnapping in a bid to extort N15m from her younger brother.
The suspect reportedly told her brother that she had been abducted by some men and taken to a bush, where her alleged captors demanded N15m for her release.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a video showing the woman confessing to the alleged offence.
Edafe said the incident was reported at the Oguachukwu Divisional Police Headquarters on October 23, 2026, following which the Commissioner of Police directed the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Obu-Luku, Aniocha South Local Government Area, to investigate the case.
He said the operatives launched an intelligence-led investigation that exposed the alleged plot and led to the woman’s arrest.
According to the police spokesperson, the case was unusual because the suspect was 54 years old, unlike previous cases of staged kidnappings involving teenagers and younger people.
He said, “We have heard of cases of self-kidnapping and fake kidnappings involving underage persons or teenagers aged 15, 16, 17 or 18 to 20. But we have never had a case involving a 54-year-old woman.
“It is quite unfortunate that she faked her own kidnapping because she wanted to extort N15m from her younger brother.”
In her confessional statement, the suspect admitted to staging the abduction and demanding the ransom from her brother.
She said, “I kidnapped myself. I told my brother I had been kidnapped when I went out to buy medicine, and it took me to the bush. I called my brother and told him.
“I told him they wanted N15m and that if he didn’t pay the money, they would kill me. It was the devil’s work. I want forgiveness.”
Edafe further disclosed that the woman claimed to have spent 12 days in captivity as part of the alleged scheme.
He added that police investigations indicated that the suspect did not act alone, as some other individuals were allegedly involved in the plot.
He said the police were tracking the alleged accomplices with a view to arresting them.
“Some of the people she conspired with are being tracked, and we are definitely going to arrest them,” he added.
