18-Year-Old Woman Arrested for Allegedly Faking Own Kidnap to Demand ₦10m Ransom

The Edo State Police Command has arrested an 18-year-old woman, Obehi Odine, for allegedly staging her own kidnapping in a bid to extort ₦10 million from her relatives.

Police said the incident was reported on January 12, after Odine was said to have been abducted along Old INEC Road in Benin City and taken into a nearby forest. Shortly after her disappearance, individuals who claimed to be her abductors contacted her family and demanded a ₦10 million ransom for her release.

According to the command’s spokesperson, ASP Ikoedem Eno, the police immediately deployed operational and technical intelligence resources to track the suspected kidnappers. However, ongoing investigations revealed that no abduction had taken place.

“The suspect, one Obehi Odine, aged 18, was arrested for staging her own kidnapping and demanding a ransom of ₦10 million,” Eno said.

She explained that further investigation showed the alleged kidnapping was deliberately fabricated. The suspect reportedly confessed, admitting that she planned the incident herself with the intention of obtaining money from her relatives and associates.

Police said investigations are ongoing, while the suspect will be charged to court upon completion of the case file.