By Jeff Agbodo

A 16-year-old female SS 2 secondary student (name withheld) in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, has allegedly faked her kidnapping and demanded N2 million ransom from the family.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Joshua Ukandu, who disclosed this to newsmen, said the teenage student allegedly carried out the plan with support from one of the family’s friends.

“According to the teenage student, on getting to town, she decided to go to the house of one of their family friends who was not aware of her missing,” Ukandu said.

“With the man’s phone, she chatted her brother and told him that she was kidnapped and that they (her family) would pay N2 million ransom before her release. So, the brother requested that she give the phone to those that kidnapped her so that he can bargain with them and know the location to bring the ransom but she refused and blocked her brother’s line.

“After some time, the brother now requested that an account number be forwarded to the family for digital transfer of the N2 million ransom. Before you know it, the girl collected and sent the account number of the same family friend hosting her and the same person she was using his phone to chat the family to fake her own kidnap. With that evidence, the family alerted the police who stormed his house and arrested them.

“We are still investigating just to be sure because there were other people in that house that night. She slept there one night and the next one. While she was going out to buy something, her family members who were already suspicious and laying ambush there saw her and the police arrested them. We are still investigating, particularly concerning that their family friend who harboured her, gave her phone and account number to receive ransom.”

“She is already reunited with her family but the police are still investigating the matter considering her age. We also arrested that Edozie whose account number she wanted to use to receive the money,” Ukandu added.