Woman arrested for faking own kidnap to repay N3.6m debt in Dekta

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Merit Alice, for faking her own abduction to settle a debt of N3.6 million entrusted to her by her brother.

Alice was said to have used the funds—initially meant for the purchase of a tricycle—to fund her bridal shower and lodge friends during her wedding in March.

SP Bright Edafe, the command’s spokesperson, said the deception came to light after police operatives arrested one of her accomplices, who eventually confessed that the kidnap was staged.

“On July 20, Alice told her husband she was coming home, only for him to be told that she had been kidnapped,” Edafe said in a video posted on X.

“A ransom of N3 million was paid after several calls. The husband followed up on the case at the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad, and we continued to work until we arrested one of the suspects who let the cat out of the bag.”

Alice was paraded before journalists on Monday, where she admitted to plotting the fake abduction out of fear of being unable to repay the money.

“My husband and my brothers raised the N3 million ransom that we demanded. After which I went to a POS woman’s shop to cash out the money. I took N2.5 million and gave my accomplices N500,000,” she confessed.

She said the plan was hatched with two others, including a security guard named Peter who previously worked with her.

Alice said her brother had been demanding the money since March, and the pressure pushed her to act.

The police spokesperson praised the investigation team for unravelling the truth and arresting those involved.