By Deborah Nnamdi
The Edo State Police Command has uncovered a case of staged kidnapping involving a 21-year-old dispatch officer who allegedly attempted to conceal the loss of N1.3 million belonging to his employer and a customer through online gambling.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Moses Yamu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, noting that the incident was reported on January 30, 2026, at about 4:00 p.m.
According to the statement, Moses Ekes reported at the Okpella Police Division that his nephew, David Ekes, a dispatch officer with Dibecs Industry Limited, had been missing since January 27. He was said to have left his residence that evening on a black, unregistered motorcycle from Factory 2 to Factory 3, contrary to company policy, and was not seen thereafter. The motorcycle was later found abandoned along the road leading to Factory 3 and recovered to the company’s main office.
Following the report, operatives of the Okpella Police Division visited the area, searched the surrounding bush, and commenced investigations. However, the police said a fresh development occurred the next morning, January 31, at about 8:00 a.m., when information was received that the missing dispatch officer had returned on his own in a weakened condition.
He was taken to a hospital in Okpella, where police operatives visited and monitored his condition. Upon his discharge, the suspect initially claimed that he had been kidnapped by three unidentified men who allegedly forced him to trek barefoot through a forest for more than three days, during which his mobile phone was taken and money was withdrawn from his First Bank account.
Further investigation by the police, however, revealed that the kidnapping story was fabricated. The Command stated that between January 25 and 26, 2026, the suspect lost a total sum of N1,308,000 through online gambling on a visual sports betting platform. The funds reportedly belonged to his company and a customer.
According to the police, the suspect travelled to Abuja shortly after incurring the loss, sold his mobile phone, lodged in a hotel, and deliberately staged his own kidnapping to cover up the missing money. He later confessed to the crime and is expected to be arraigned in court.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika, warned members of the public against filing false distress reports and engaging in criminal deception, noting that such acts waste critical security resources and erode public trust. He also cautioned young people against irresponsible gambling, warning that addiction often leads to desperation and criminal behaviour.
