A 23-year-old woman, identified as Nmesoma Josephine Nwoye, has been arrested by operatives of the Anambra State Police Command for allegedly faking her own abduction in order to extort money from her parents.
According to Hobnob News, the staged kidnap was executed in connivance with her 24-year-old boyfriend, Chibuike Ogbu. Both suspects were arrested on Friday following intelligence-led operations, with the sum of ₦1.2 million recovered as part of the ransom earlier paid by Nmesoma’s parents.
The spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. He explained that the suspects had initially demanded a ransom of ₦15 million, but later settled for ₦3 million, which was transferred into Nmesoma’s bank account.
“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,” Ikenga stated.
He further revealed that police operatives recovered part of the ransom, amounting to ₦1,200,000, during the arrest.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the act, describing it as a reflection of moral decay in society. He warned that many young people are increasingly resorting to criminal activities for selfish gains.
Orutugu urged parents, guardians, and religious leaders to intensify efforts to instill discipline, integrity, and sound moral values in their children and wards.
