Anambra Police Foil Self-Kidnap Scheme, Arrest ESUT Student and Boyfriend

From OMAH Ngozi, Awka

The Anambra State Police Command has successfully apprehended two individuals involved in a staged kidnapping incident aimed at extorting money from the victim's family. The suspects, identified as 28-year-old Chinecherem Okonkwo, a female student of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, and her 30-year-old male accomplice, Chinecherem Aronu, were arrested at a lodge located at UNIZIK Temp Site, Awka.

According to State Police Public Relations Officer SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the police received a distressing report of Okonkwo's alleged abduction. An intelligence-led investigation by the Rapid Response Squad led to the rescue of the victim, who was found alive with her male accomplice.

The investigation revealed that Okonkwo had initially contacted her family, claiming she was returning home from school, but her phone was subsequently switched off.

The next day, her family received a ransom demand of ₦10,000,000 from an unknown male voice, which was later reduced to ₦3,000,000, with a partial payment of ₦1,000,000 made into the victim's bank account.

Upon interrogation, the duo confessed to orchestrating the kidnapping to extort money from Okonkwo's family.

The female suspect admitted to masterminding the plan after watching a movie, intending to give the money to her boyfriend to start a business.

Anambra State Police Commissioner, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has directed that the suspects be charged to court without delay, condemning the incident as a sign of moral decay among some youths. He warned that the police will not tolerate such criminal deception and urged parents and guardians to closely monitor their children's activities and peer influences.