Operatives of Anambra State police command has arrested Chinemerem Nwaokoye, a female student of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) for staging her own kidnap.
Nwaokoye was arrested alongside her boyfriend, Chinecherm Aronu, with whom she staged the fake kidnap.
She told police operatives that she staged the kidnap after watching a movie, and that her plan was to extort money from her family for her boyfriend to begin a business.
The spokesperson for the command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga who confirmed the incident, said that the suspects first demanded N10million ransom from the family but later reduced it to N3million.
Ikenga said;
“Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) acting on an intelligence-led investigation of a disturbing report of alleged abduction of Chinecherem Nwaokoye, a female student of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), stormed a lodge located at UNIZIK Temp Site, Awka, where the victim was found alive and in the company of her male accomplice.
“According to the report, Chinecherem had earlier contacted her family on July 8, 2025, informing them that she was returning home from school but never arrived.
“The suspects are Okonkwo ‘f’ age 28years old and Chinecherem Aronu ‘m’ age 30years old.
“The Anambra State Police Command arrested the two suspects involved in a self-orchestrated kidnap incident designed to extort money from the victim’s own family.
“Her phone remained switched off throughout that day, and on Wednesday, 9th July 2025, her family received a call from an unknown male voice who claimed responsibility for her kidnap and demanded a ransom of N10million.
“After negotiations, the ransom was reduced to N3million, and a part payment of N1million was later paid into the victim’s bank account.”
Ikenga said when arrested, the victim claimed that she did it to raise money for her boyfriend.
He said: “Upon interrogation, the duo confessed to staging the kidnap as a plot to extract money from the victim’s family.
“The female suspect, Chinecherem Nwaokoye, admitted she masterminded the plan after watching a movie and intended to give the money to her boyfriend to start a business.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu has directed that the suspects be charged to court without delay and condemned the incident as a clear sign of deepening moral decay among some youths in the society.
He warned that the Command will not tolerate such criminal deception and called on parents and guardians to pay closer attention to the activities and peer influence on their children.
