A 27-year-old woman, Merit Alice, has been arrested by the Delta State Police Command for allegedly staging her own abduction in a bid to cover up her misuse of N3.6 million entrusted to her by her brother.
The money, which was intended for the purchase of a commercial tricycle, was instead lavishly spent on a bridal shower and hotel accommodations for her friends ahead of her wedding held in March.
The spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, revealed details of the case on Monday through a video posted on X (formerly Twitter).
According to him, Alice had informed her husband that she was on her way home on July 20, but later claimed to have been kidnapped.
“After her supposed abduction, a ransom of N3 million was demanded. Her husband, alongside her brothers, managed to raise the money and pay the ransom. However, during the investigation by the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Squad, one of the suspects was arrested and confessed, unraveling the entire plot,” Edafe stated.
Alice reportedly conspired with two individuals to execute the fake kidnapping. One of them, Peter, is said to be a security guard at a company where she had previously worked.
Confessing to the crime, Alice said, “I used the money my brother gave me for a keke (tricycle) to fund my bridal shower and book hotel rooms for my friends. When he kept asking for the money, I couldn’t face him, so I planned the kidnap with two friends.”
She added, “My husband and my brothers contributed the ransom money. After we received the N3 million, I withdrew N2.5 million for myself and gave my accomplices N500,000.”
The suspect expressed deep remorse for her actions, blaming it on the pressure she felt from her brother’s persistent demands for a refund.
Commending the officers who cracked the case, SP Edafe said the matter highlighted the importance of thorough investigation in combating crime.
The police have assured that all individuals involved in the fraudulent act will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
