A 16-year-old student in the SS2 class of a private secondary school in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, faked her kidnap and demanded a ransom of N2 million for her release. The teenage girl allegedly contacted a family member, claiming she had been kidnapped.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Joshua Ukandu, disclosed to reporters that a family friend helped her plan the hoax. The girl attends a privately owned school located on Watchman Street in Abakaliki and is a native of Izzi Local Government Area.
According to the police, the girl claimed to have been kidnapped after she went to buy second-hand clothes and was tapped from behind, losing consciousness. She said she woke up the next day at Ishieke Junction in Ebonyi Local Government Area and asked for directions back to Abakaliki town.
However, instead of returning home, she went to the house of a family friend who had no idea she was missing. Using the man’s phone, she messaged her brother, claiming she had been kidnapped and demanded N2 million ransom. Her brother asked to speak with the kidnappers and requested their location, but she refused and blocked his number.
Later, she unblocked his number and sent an account number belonging to the family friend hosting her. Unfortunately for her, the phone was tracked, and the police raided the house, arresting everyone involved in the plot.
The police spokesperson confirmed that the command has launched a full investigation into the incident. The girl has since been reunited with her family, though the matter remains under police investigation due to her age.
