54-year-old woman fakes kidnap to extort younger brother

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 54-year-old woman for allegedly staging her own kidnapping and demanding N15m ransom from her younger brother.

The woman reportedly claimed that she had been abducted by some men and taken to the bush, where her captors threatened to kill her unless the ransom was paid.

The police spokesperson disclosed the arrest in a video showing the suspect confessing to the alleged crime.

According to the spokesperson, the case was reported at the Ogwashi-Uku Divisional Police Headquarters on October 23, 2026, prompting the Commissioner of Police to direct the Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Obu-Luku, Aniocha South Local Government Area, to investigate.

He said an intelligence-led investigation exposed the alleged scheme and led to the suspect’s arrest.

The spokesperson described the case as unusual, noting that previous cases of staged kidnappings had largely involved teenagers and younger persons.

“It is quite unfortunate that she faked her own kidnapping because she wanted to extort N15m from her younger brother,” he said.

In her confessional statement, the woman admitted to staging the abduction, saying she had told her brother she was kidnapped while going out to buy medicine.

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“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,” she said.

The police spokesperson said the suspect claimed to have spent 12 days in captivity before her arrest.

He, however, disclosed that investigations indicated she did not act alone, adding that other alleged accomplices were being tracked.

“Some of the people she conspired with are being tracked, and we are definitely going to arrest them,” he said.