The Delta State Police have arrested a woman who staged her own kidnapping to repay a ₦3.6 million loan she borrowed from her brother to fund her bridal shower.
Police spokesperson SP Bright Edafe confirmed that the woman was reported missing on July 21 in Asaba, but investigations revealed she faked the abduction to collect ransom money.
‘’Acting on this directive, the command led operatives and launched a coordinated intelligence-driven operation. Through diligent investigative efforts and strategic deployment, the operatives apprehended one Alfred Elisha ‘m’ at Koka Roundabout, Asaba, and another suspect, Ugochukwu Adim ‘m’, off DLA Road, Asaba, on 22 July 2025 at about 0900hrs.
Upon arrest of the suspects, he confessed that it was not a case of an actual kidnapping but a plot between the victim and himself. His revelation led to the arrest of the other suspect, named Merit Eleh, aged 29 years old. She confessed that the money loaned to her by her brother of about three million six hundred thousand naira (#3,600,000), she used it to sponsor her bridal shower and hotel expenses during her wedding, which took place in March 2025.
She further stated that she faked her kidnap and received a ransom of three million naira (#3,000,000) and gave her accomplices five hundred thousand naira (#500,000), and she took two million, five hundred thousand naira (#2,5000,000) for herself.”
Edafe added that all suspects involved have been arrested, and an investigation is ongoing.
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