A married woman named Oluchi has been discovered in a Delta State hotel after orchestrating a fake kidnapping and demanding a N50 million ransom from her family.
It was reported on Monday that the woman’s children, including a daughter living in Canada, had publicly pleaded for help to raise the funds, even after the purported kidnappers lowered their demand to N20 million.
The family had previously reported to the police that she was abducted at Ikpoba Hill in the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
However, a police investigation eventually tracked the location of the man involved to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State.
According to a source who spoke anonymously, “Police traced the number of the man to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State. They met the man and the kidnapped woman inside a hotel. They called the husband, and he was happy. It was at the station that the police broke the news to him. The wife begged the husband not to tell her children what actually transpired.”
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In an online video shared on Monday, her daughter, Anita, who is based in Canada, expressed that her mother’s actions had “shattered” the family and insisted that they would allow the law to take its course.
Anita stated, “My mum has been released. She is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom. The family is in shock. This is not right. This has shattered my family. My dad has some health issues. This is so unfortunate. What did I do wrong?”
She added, “My reputation has been ruined. I am short of words. I am so mad. I have no hand in this. I never knew. I only wanted my mother back home. The law will take its course. I am sorry this is happening. I only did what any daughter would do. My family has been shattered.”
Anita also clarified that the ransom was never paid and that any funds raised would be returned.
She noted, “We now know it was not a real kidnapping. They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship. The guy was traced. They had agreed to take what we already raised to N20m.”
The Harmony Ladies Club, a group Anita belongs to, also issued a statement expressing their shock and sense of betrayal.
The club wrote, “When news of her alleged abduction broke, the club acted swiftly in good faith. Out of sisterhood, love, and a sense of community responsibility, we rallied immediately. Our members provided extensive emotional, logistical, and financial support during what we believed was a life-threatening crisis, carrying the heavy burden of anxiety alongside her family. It is with a profound sense of betrayal that we have now discovered, through investigations, that the entire kidnapping incident was staged by Mrs Oluchi herself.”
State police spokesperson Eno Ikoedem confirmed the incident, noting that four individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.
See video below:
