16-Year-Old Girl in Ebonyi Fakes Kidnapping, Police Launch Investigation

Babatunji Wusu –

• A 16-year-old student in Abakaliki fakes her own kidnapping

• Demands ₦2 million ransom from her family

• A family friend assisted in planning the hoax

• Police track the phone and arrest all involved

A 16-year-old SS2 student at a private secondary school in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has been caught faking her own kidnapping, according to the police. The girl allegedly contacted a family member, claiming she had been abducted and demanded a ransom of ₦2 million for her release.

Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Joshua Ukandu, revealed that a family friend helped her orchestrate the hoax. The student, a native of Izzi Local Government Area, attends a privately owned school on Watchman Street in Abakaliki and was due to return to school for the third term on Saturday.

The girl told police that she had gone to buy second-hand clothes, known locally as ‘Okirika’, when she was allegedly tapped from behind and lost consciousness. She claimed to have woken up the following day at Ishieke Junction in Ebonyi Local Government Area. She added that she often dreams of being kidnapped and that her mother regularly prays against it.

Upon regaining consciousness, the girl asked for directions back to Abakaliki but instead went to the house of a family friend who had no knowledge of her absence. Using the friend’s phone, she messaged her brother, claiming to be kidnapped and demanding the ransom. When her brother asked to speak with the kidnappers and requested their location, she refused and blocked his number. She later unblocked him and sent an account number belonging to the family friend hosting her.

However, the police tracked the phone, raided the house, and arrested everyone involved in the plot. The girl has been reunited with her family, and a full investigation is underway. The police spokesperson confirmed that the matter remains under investigation due to the girl’s age.