She allegedly contacted her brother using a family friend’s phone, claiming she had been kidnapped and demanding ₦2 million.
A 16-year-old SS2 student in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, staged her own kidnapping and demanded ₦2 million ransom from her family, police revealed on Monday. According to Police PRO Joshua Ukandu, the teen—a native of Izzi LGA—colluded with a family friend to execute the plot days before her school’s third-term resumption. Using the accomplice’s phone, she contacted her brother, claiming abduction, but blocked him when he requested proof and later sent a bank account for payment .
The ruse unraveled when authorities traced the phone to the family friend’s home, arresting all involved. During interrogation, the girl claimed she was knocked unconscious while buying second-hand clothes (Okirika) and “woke up” at Ishieke Junction before seeking refuge at the accomplice’s house. “She said the host was unaware she’d been reported missing,” Ukandu stated
While reunited with her family, the teen faces potential legal consequences pending investigation. Police emphasized the case’s sensitivity due to her minor status but condemned the act as criminal. The incident highlights growing concerns about fabricated kidnappings for financial gain in Nigeria .