The Delta State Police Command has apprehended a 29-year-old woman, Merit Eleh, for allegedly staging her own abduction in a bid to raise funds to settle a N3.6 million loan she had borrowed from her brother to organize her bridal shower and cover hotel expenses for her wedding.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, the arrest followed a coordinated intelligence-led operation by officers of the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad. The operation was initiated after the police received a report on July 21 about the alleged abduction of a female victim by unknown armed men in the Bonsaac area of Asaba.
Acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, operatives swung into action and arrested two male suspects — Alfred Elisha and Ugochukwu Adim — on July 22, 2025, at separate locations in Asaba.
During interrogation, one of the suspects confessed that the kidnapping was staged and not an actual crime. His statement led to the arrest of Merit Eleh, who admitted to orchestrating the fake abduction.
Eleh revealed that she had borrowed N3.6 million from her brother earlier in the year to finance her bridal shower and accommodation for her wedding, which took place in March 2025. Facing pressure to repay the debt, she allegedly devised a plan to fake her kidnapping and demand ransom.
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According to police, Eleh confessed to receiving a ransom payment of N3 million. Out of the amount, she reportedly gave N500,000 to her accomplices and kept N2.5 million for herself.
“All suspects involved in the staged kidnapping have been arrested, and further investigations are ongoing,” Edafe confirmed.
The incident has sparked widespread discussion on social media, highlighting concerns about financial pressure related to wedding celebrations and the lengths some individuals may go to resolve debt.