The Police in Abia State have arrested a Senior Secondary School 3 student, who allegedly staged his own kidnap to extort money from his mother, Mrs. Rose Nwatu, accusing her of being stingy.

The suspect, a native of Obikabia in Isiala Ngwa North council area, aged 17, allegedly conspired with another and went into hiding at a hotel in Aba.

The Police also arrested a girl, whose bank account was used to pay the ransom of N200, 000.

Briefing journalists in Umuahia, Commissioner of Police in the State, Mrs Janet Agbede said on September 19, one Wisdom Nwatu of Obikabia in Isiala Ngwa North council lodged a report at the Isiala Ngwa North Police Division that on September 18, at about 6pm, his younger brother was kidnapped.

Agbede disclosed that Wisdom Nwatu stated that his younger brother went to buy airtime and was kidnapped along Stadium Road, Okpuala Ngwa, by unknown hoodlums operating with an ash-coloured Sienna bus.

According to the CP, “Anti-kidnapping unit of the Command while investigating the case, on October 4, arrested one Chinaza, aged 19, whose bank account was used to receive a ransom of N200, 000.

“It was Chinaza Favour Ukaigwe revealed that supposed victim faked his own kidnap.

“The boy and one Favour came to his (Chinaza) shop at Aba Road and requested that he should give his bank account to enable them receive the school fees of their young sister.

“Investigation further revealed that Obinna Nwatu and Favour Ugorji received through the account the sum of N200, 000 paid in as a ransom by Mrs. Rose Nwatu (mother of the ‘victm’).”

The CP also disclosed that Obinna Nwatu confessed that he agreed to fake the kidnap because his mother, Rose Nwatu is too stingy. 

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In an interview with the suspect, Obinna Nwatu said he was deceived by his friend, Favour Ugorji, to fake the kidnap and extort money from his mother.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that Favour Ugorji later fled with the N200, 000 ransom as he did not keep his promise of releasing some amount to the suspect.

In his words; “I was deceived by a bad friend, Favour Ugorji a.k.a ‘Wizzy’. I met Favour Ugorji online in 2017, but have never been to his house or know more of him than Facebook conversations.

“I was not actually kidnapped. He asked me to fake the kidnap so that we can get money from my mother.

“I conspired with him to deliberately go into hiding at a hotel along with Rhema University Road, Aba.

“When we got the N200, 000 ransom, we made an agreement that I should not go home with money, that he will send my share through my bank account.

“But when I got home and called him, his phone number was not going, he is no longer using the SIM card again.”

While advising parents and guardians to closely monitor their children and wards, the CP further called on the public not to hesitate to volunteer information about suspicious activities in their areas.