By Ganiyat Mumuni

The Delta State Police Command has apprehended a woman and her accomplice in connection with a staged kidnapping, from which they allegedly extorted N3 million in ransom.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, Bright Edafe, disclosed this on Monday in Asaba.

Edafe said the command had continued to record operational milestones in its relentless war against crime and criminality in the state, with the operatives successfully arresting a suspected fake kidnapper and her accomplices.

According to him, On July 21, 2025, the Delta State Police Command received a report of a kidnapping incident involving a female victim who was abducted by unknown armed men in the Ajaji (Bonsaac) Layout of Asaba.

The Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, directed the Commander, Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, Godwin Osadolor to ensure that the victim was rescued unhurt.

The command led operatives and launched a coordinated intelligence-driven operation. The operatives apprehended one Alfred Elisha at the Koka Roundabout, Asaba, and another suspect, Ugochukwu Adim, off DLA Road, Asaba, on July 22, 2025.

The suspect confessed the kidnapping wasn’t real but a planned act between the victims and him , which led to the arrest of a 29 year old Merit Eleh.

She confessed the money loaned to her by her brother of about N3.6m which she used it to sponsor her bridal shower and hotel expenses during her wedding, which took place in March 2025.

The suspect explained that she faked her kidnap and received a ransom of N3m and gave her accomplices N500,000, and she took N2.5m for herself.

All the suspects involved in the fake kidnapping had been arrested.