A 22-year-old man has been arrested in Delta State for allegedly faking his own kidnap and asking his family for a N25 million ransom.
The police also rescued a two-week-old baby from suspected traffickers and arrested two people who were accused of spreading false information online.
This information came from a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday by the police spokesperson in the state, Bright Edafe.
Mr Edafe, a superintendent of police, said this was announced during a press briefing held by the Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, in Asaba.
Mr Oyeniyi said the police are dedicated to protecting lives and property through smart policing and thorough investigations.
“The police in Delta State are committed to protecting lives and property, enforcing law and order, and making sure offenders face justice.”
Suspected Fake Abduction
The commissioner explained that the police got a distress report on July 1 at about 7:30 a.m. A report said Michael James, 22, went out along Idumuesah/Owa-Alero Road to throw away rubbish but did not come back home.
Later, his family received a ransom demand of N25 million from people who claimed to have kidnapped him.
Mr Oyeniyi said police officers sent to the area used technical intelligence to search the surrounding bushes where the suspect was thought to be hiding.
“Once he saw the police closing in, the suspect came out of the bush claiming he escaped from his kidnappers,” he said.
But during questioning, the suspect reportedly confessed to planning the fake kidnap, according to the police.
“He also said he spent money his sister gave him, so he planned his own abduction to raise money to pay back,” the police added.
The police confirmed that the suspect will stay in custody while investigations continue.
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