A 19-year-old woman, Merit Eleh has been arrested by the Delta State Police Command for faking her own kidnap to extort money from her family and repay wedding-related debts.
The spokesperson of the command, SP Bright Edafe, during a press release on Monday disclosed that Eleh had conspired with two men to stage her abduction in the Bonsaac area of Asaba on July 21.
An official report by her family member led the command’s Cyber Crime Squad, led by CSP Godwin Osadolor, to swing into action.
When operatives tracked both male suspects, Alfred Elisha and Ugochukwu Adim to their separate locations in the state, on July 22.
“Upon arrest of the suspects, he confessed that it was not a case of an actual kidnapping but a plot between the victim and himself,” the police said.
Following their arrest, Eleh was apprehended and she admitted to the crime.
“She confessed that the money loaned to her by her brother was about N3.6m; she used it to sponsor her bridal shower and hotel expenses during her wedding, which took place in March 2025.
“She further stated that she faked her kidnap and received a ransom of N3m and gave her accomplices N500,000 and she took N2.5m for herself,” the press release said.
In a separate confession captured on a footage, Eleh said, “My brother gave me the money to purchase a tricycle.
“After I used it, I was thinking of ways to raise the money and I didn’t see any. So, I masterminded the plan.”
One of the suspects, Adim, confessed to being involved in the plot, which he claimed would yield a take-home amount of N225,000. Adim stated that they had demanded a ransom of N10 million, expecting to receive at least N5 million, but ultimately only received N3 million.
The mastermind revealed that the N3 million was contributed by her husband and brothers.
Faking one’s kidnapping is a criminal offense in Nigeria, and the legal consequences can include multiple charges depending on the specifics of the case.
Possible charges include conspiracy and false pretenses/fraud, both of which can carry a penalty of up to seven years or more; public mischief and false information, which can result in up to two years in prison; and restitution or fines.