The Ebonyi State Police Command has uncovered a case of a 16-year-old secondary school student who staged her own kidnapping and demanded a ransom of N2 million from her family.
Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, revealed on Monday that the teenage girl, an SS2 student at a private school in Abakaliki, fabricated the kidnapping story with the help of a family friend.
According to police reports, the student, who is a native of Izzi Local Government Area, was scheduled to return to her school located on Watchman Street for the third term on Saturday. Instead of going to school, she allegedly executed her plan.
The girl told investigators that she had gone to purchase second-hand clothes, locally known as 'Okirika,' when someone allegedly tapped her from behind, causing her to lose consciousness. She claimed to have awakened the following day at Ishieke Junction in Ebonyi Local Government Area.
Rather than returning home after the supposed incident, the teenager went to the residence of a family friend who was unaware she had been reported missing. Using the friend's phone, she messaged her brother claiming she had been kidnapped and demanded a N2 million ransom for her release.
When her brother requested to speak with the alleged kidnappers and asked for their location, she refused and blocked his number. She later unblocked him and provided an account number belonging to the family friend who was hosting her.
"The girl stated that she often dreams of being kidnapped, and her mother regularly prays against it," SP Ukandu explained.
The police were able to track the phone used for the ransom demands, leading to a raid on the house where the girl was staying. All individuals involved in the plot were subsequently arrested.
The police spokesperson confirmed that the girl has since been reunited with her family. However, due to her age, the matter remains under police investigation.
The command has launched a full investigation into the incident to determine the extent of involvement of all parties and the motivation behind the staged kidnapping.
