A 23-year-old woman, Nmesoma Josephine Nwoye, has been arrested for allegedly staging her own kidnapping to extort money from her parents, in collaboration with her 24-year-old boyfriend, Chibuike Ogbu.
The two were apprehended on Friday by the Anambra State Police Command after intelligence operations uncovered their plot. A total of N1.2 million, part of the N3 million ransom paid by Nwoye’s family, was recovered from the suspects.
According to a statement from the police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the pair initially demanded a ransom of N15 million but ultimately agreed to accept N3 million, which was transferred to Nwoye’s account.
Details regarding the specific location of the arrest, the crime scene, and the victims’ place of origin were not disclosed. However, the police confirmed that the ransom payment followed a negotiation between the suspects and the victim’s family.
Ikenga’s statement read: “The suspects, Nmesoma Josephine Nwoye (23) and Chibuike Ogbu (24), were arrested after an intelligence-led investigation revealed they conspired to fake her abduction. The operatives also recovered N1.2 million, part of the ransom previously paid by the girl’s family.”
The suspects had initially demanded N15 million, but after negotiations, the ransom was reduced to N3 million, which was transferred into the victim’s account.
Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, condemned the crime, attributing it to the growing moral decay in society. He urged parents, guardians, and religious leaders to do more to instill discipline, integrity, and strong moral values in the younger generation.
