A married woman identified as Oluchi has been found in a hotel in Delta State after allegedly staging her own abduction and demanding a ₦50 million ransom from her family.
The incident, which initially sparked widespread concern and fundraising efforts, took a dramatic turn after police investigations reportedly uncovered that the alleged kidnapping was fabricated.
According to reports, Oluchi’s children, including her daughter Anita who resides in Canada, had appealed to the public for financial assistance after claiming that kidnappers had abducted their mother in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
The family said the kidnappers initially demanded ₦50 million before reducing the ransom to ₦20 million, prompting friends, relatives and well-wishers to contribute toward securing her release.
However, police investigations led operatives to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where Oluchi was allegedly found with a male companion believed to be her lover.
A source familiar with the investigation disclosed that detectives tracked the suspect through his phone number.
“Police traced the number of the man to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State. They met the man and the kidnapped woman inside a hotel. They called the husband, and he was happy.
It was at the station that the police broke the news to him. The wife begged the husband not to tell her children what actually transpired,” the source said.
Reacting to the development in an emotional online video, Anita said the revelation had devastated the family and left her feeling betrayed.
“My mum has been released. My mum is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom. The family is in shock. This is not right. This has shattered my family,” she said.
She explained that her father has health challenges and described the situation as heartbreaking.
“My reputation has been ruined. I am short of words. I am so mad. I have no hand in this. I never knew. I only wanted my mother back home. The law will take its course,” she added.
Anita further disclosed that no ransom was paid and that all money raised would be refunded to donors.
“We were called that my mum has been released. We didn’t pay the kidnappers. The money is intact.
We are going to make a refund. We involved the police from the beginning. We now know it was not a real kidnapping.
They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship. The guy was traced. They had agreed to take what we already raised to ₦20 million,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Harmony Ladies Club, a social group to which Anita belongs, has distanced itself from the incident.
In a statement circulated on its WhatsApp platform, the group expressed disappointment and embarrassment over the alleged deception.
“When news of her alleged abduction broke, the club acted swiftly in good faith. Out of sisterhood, love, and a sense of community responsibility, we rallied immediately.
“Our members provided extensive emotional, logistical, and financial support during what we believed was a life-threatening crisis.
“It is with a profound sense of betrayal that we have now discovered, through investigations, that the entire kidnapping incident was staged by Mrs. Oluchi herself,” the statement read.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, CSP Moses Yamu, said four persons have been arrested in connection with the case and investigations are ongoing.
“I can confirm the incident and also let you know that four people have been arrested in connection with the incident,” the police spokesperson said.
The case has generated widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians expressing sympathy for the family while calling for those involved to face the full weight of the law if found culpable.