The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old woman, Mrs. Sanmori Taiwo, and her 62-year-old husband, Pastor Sanmori Joshua, for allegedly staging her abduction in a bid to extort N10 million from relatives abroad.
According to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, the incident occurred on August 23 at the couple’s residence on Road 5, PowerLine, Ondo City.
Taiwo reportedly hid in a room while her husband contacted relatives, claiming she had been abducted by gunmen. However, one of the relatives, Mr. Fasegha O. Joseph, petitioned the Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, who deployed the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS) alongside Enu-owa Division operatives to investigate.
“She falsely claimed to have just been released by kidnappers after a ransom of Five Million Naira was allegedly paid,” Ayanlade said.
The police revealed that during interrogation, Taiwo confessed to orchestrating the self-kidnap to extort money, citing debts and personal needs as her motive.
“Upon further interrogation at the Command, Mrs Taiwo confessed that the abduction was staged as a self-kidnapping scheme, masterminded to extort money from her relatives abroad under the pretense of securing her release,” Ayanlade explained.
The police added that the couple remains in custody and will face charges after investigations.
“We will diligently unravel all forms of criminality, whether real or staged, in order to preserve peace, protect lives, and safeguard the integrity of communities within the state,” Ayanlade said.
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old woman, Mrs. Sanmori Taiwo, and her 62-year-old husband, Pastor Sanmori Joshua, for allegedly staging her abduction in a bid to extort N10 million from relatives abroad.
According to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, the incident occurred on August 23 at the couple’s residence on Road 5, PowerLine, Ondo City.
Taiwo reportedly hid in a room while her husband contacted relatives, claiming she had been abducted by gunmen. However, one of the relatives, Mr. Fasegha O. Joseph, petitioned the Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, who deployed the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS) alongside Enu-owa Division operatives to investigate.
“She falsely claimed to have just been released by kidnappers after a ransom of Five Million Naira was allegedly paid,” Ayanlade said.
The police revealed that during interrogation, Taiwo confessed to orchestrating the self-kidnap to extort money, citing debts and personal needs as her motive.
“Upon further interrogation at the Command, Mrs Taiwo confessed that the abduction was staged as a self-kidnapping scheme, masterminded to extort money from her relatives abroad under the pretense of securing her release,” Ayanlade explained.
The police added that the couple remains in custody and will face charges after investigations.
“We will diligently unravel all forms of criminality, whether real or staged, in order to preserve peace, protect lives, and safeguard the integrity of communities within the state,” Ayanlade said.
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