Using the family friend’s phone, she sent a message to her brother, falsely stating that she had been kidnapped and demanding N2 million for her release.
A 16-year-old SS2 student of a private secondary school located on Watchman Street in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has been apprehended for staging her own abduction in a plot to extort N2 million from her family.
According to a statement released on Monday, May 12, 2025, by the spokesperson of the Ebonyi State Police Command, Joshua Ukandu, the teenager conspired with a family friend to orchestrate the fake kidnapping. The girl, who hails from Izzi Local Government Area, was due to return to school for the third term on the Saturday preceding the incident.
The suspect reportedly called her brother, claiming she had been abducted, and demanded a ransom of N2 million for her release. During police interrogation, the girl said she had gone out to buy second-hand clothes, commonly known as ‘Okirika,’ when someone allegedly tapped her from behind, causing her to lose consciousness.
She claimed to have woken up the next day at Ishieke Junction in Ebonyi Local Government Area, disoriented and unsure of how she got there.
She further told police investigators that she often dreams about being kidnapped and that her mother frequently prays against such events.
Upon regaining consciousness, rather than returning home, she sought refuge at the residence of a family friend, who reportedly had no knowledge of her supposed disappearance.
Using the family friend’s phone, she sent a message to her brother, falsely stating that she had been kidnapped and demanding N2 million for her release.
When her brother asked to speak with the alleged kidnappers and requested their location, she refused and subsequently blocked his number.
Later, she unblocked him and sent him a bank account number — which belonged to the same family friend — for the ransom payment.
The deception unraveled after the phone used to send the messages was tracked by police. A raid was conducted on the residence, leading to the arrest of all individuals found at the location. Ukandu confirmed that a full investigation is currently underway.
The teenager has since been reunited with her family. However, due to the nature of the offense and her age, the matter remains under active police investigation.
