The Anambra State Police Command has apprehended two suspects for allegedly staging a fake kidnap and recovered ₦1.2 million, part of the ransom earlier paid by the supposed victim’s family.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, identified the suspects as Nmesoma Josephine Nwoye, 23, and her boyfriend, Chibuike Ogbu, 24. He said intelligence-led operations revealed that Nmesoma conspired with Chibuike to fake her own abduction.
Ikenga explained that the suspects had initially demanded ₦15 million ransom, but after negotiations, ₦3 million was paid into the victim’s account.
The statement read:
“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.
The operatives also recovered the sum of ₦1,200,000, being part of the ransom earlier paid by the girl’s family members.
Further information reveals that the suspects demanded ₦15million ransom, and after negotiation, ₦3million was transferred into the victim’s account.”
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the act, describing it as a sign of worsening moral decadence among young people. He noted that the suspects were nabbed by operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu.
“Reacting to the development, CP Orutugu described the incident as a reflection of the rising moral decay in the society, where young people are increasingly resorting to criminality for selfish gains.”
The CP urged parents, guardians, and religious leaders to instill discipline and moral values in their children, stressing that the law will always catch up with criminals.
“The CP also warned youths against engaging in self-destructive ventures, stressing that the long arm of the law will always catch up with criminals, no matter how cleverly disguised their schemes may be,” the statement added.
Advertisement
