A married woman identified as Oluchi has been found in a hotel in Delta State after allegedly staging her own abduction and demanding millions of naira in ransom from her family.
The incident came to light after police investigations into a reported kidnapping in Edo State led detectives to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where the woman was reportedly discovered with a male companion.
Family members had earlier reported to the police that Oluchi was abducted around the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
Following the report, relatives launched efforts to secure her release, while appeals for financial assistance were made to raise a ransom allegedly demanded by her captors. The initial demand was said to be N50 million before it was later reduced to N20 million.
According to a source familiar with the investigation, police tracked the phone number of the man allegedly linked to the case and traced it to the hotel where both individuals were found.
“The police located the suspect in a hotel in Ubiaroko and found the woman there with him. Her husband was contacted and informed after they were taken to the station,” the source said.
The source added that the woman allegedly pleaded with her husband not to disclose the circumstances surrounding her disappearance to their children.
Reacting to the development, her daughter, Anita, who resides in Canada, expressed shock and disappointment in a video circulated online.
She said the family had believed the kidnapping claim and had only sought public support to secure her mother’s release.
“My mum has been released. We have now been informed that this was not a genuine kidnapping. I only did what any daughter would do to save her mother. The family is devastated and in shock,” she said.
Anita disclosed that no ransom was paid and that donations already received would be refunded.
She added that the family involved the police from the onset and only later learned that her mother was allegedly involved in orchestrating the incident.
The Harmony Ladies Club, a social group to which Anita belongs, also expressed disappointment over the development.
In a statement, the group said members had provided emotional, logistical and financial support after learning of the alleged abduction, only to discover through investigations that the incident had allegedly been staged.
“It is with a profound sense of betrayal that we learned the kidnapping was allegedly orchestrated by Mrs. Oluchi herself,” the statement said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command, CSP Eno Ikoedem, said four suspects had been arrested in connection with the case.
“I can confirm the incident and also let you know that four people have been arrested in connection with it,” she said.
Police said investigations are ongoing and that those found culpable would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
- Fighting terrorism is everyone’s responsibility — Tinubu - June 8, 2026
- Police uncover fake kidnap plot, find woman in hotel with lover - June 8, 2026
- Oyo demolishes building linked to Adelabu family kidnappers - June 8, 2026
