The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command said its operatives have arrested a pregnant married woman who faked her own kidnapping and demanded N2 million as ransom from her husband.
It was gathered that when the ransom was delivered, the lady shared the money with the man suspected to be her boyfriend, whom she connived with to defraud the husband.
The FCT Commissioner of Police (CP), Benneth Igweh, disclosed this to reporters on Wednesday during the parade of suspects at the command headquarters in Abuja.
He said: “On 11/03/2024 at about 19:40hrs, one Chiedozie Ubah ‘m’ of Saburi II Dei-dei, Abuja, reported at gwa gwa division that his pregnant wife Rosemary Ubah left home to the hospital on the same date for a scan but did not return home. He later received a call through his wife’s phone number telling him that his wife had been kidnapped and demanded for two (2) million naira ransom before her release.
“He transferred the sum of two (2) million naira into his wife’s account as instructed by the kidnapper. He later brought his wife to the station after her release. During interrogation, the wife freely confessed to having conspired with one man named Walter Ezeala’m’ living in the same street with them at Saburi to extort money from her husband.
“The said Walter was arrested, and he confessed that his own share was eight hundred thousand (N800,000) naira and the lady took one million two hundred thousand naira (N1,200,000). The sum of Seven hundred and ninety three thousand five hundred naira (N793,500) cash, two (2) FCMB ATM cards, and two Android phones was recovered from them”.
In a similar development, Igweh narrated how operatives of the command arrested a man who faked his own kidnapping to test the loyalty of his girlfriend.
He said: “On 14/03/2023 at about 5:30 PM, One Akuh Chinemezeh reported at APO Divisional Headquarters that his younger brother, Pascal Akuh 28 years old, called him, saying he was arrested by police and taken to SCID custody. On the strength of this, the police and suspect’s family went to SCID, IRT, and FCID detention facilities, only to discover that he is not in any of the aforementioned facilities.
“With the help of a tracker using coordinates, the suspect’s vehicle was traced to an area in Wumba, Apo. Acting on this intelligence, the police operatives from Apo Division swiftly mobilised to the scene, searched the entire axis, and subsequently traced the suspect to a hotel in Lokogoma later in the night and arrested the suspect.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he only faked his own kidnapping to prank the lady he intended to marry to know if she really loved him. The suspect is to be arraigned in court soon.”
The police also paraded Alex Lorjaa, a dismissed military officer who uses military uniforms to rob, and attempted to kidnap his victims in Abuja.
Lorjaa during interrogation that a serving military man initiated it, and he is supporting him.
The Commissioner of Police said: “On 17/03/2023 at about 02:30 PM, following a distress call received by Mabushi Division from the victims; one Blessing Mafulul Damia and Haliru Zakari, that some men in an unregistered Toyota Hilux trailed them while on their way home from H- Medix, Gwarimpa to Gishiri village, robbed them of their valuables and attempted to kidnap them.
“Upon receipt of the information, police operatives of the division swung into action, trailed the vehicle and arrested two suspects, namely; Gabriel David Elihu ‘m’ of Apo mechanic village and (a dismissed soldier from Gombe state) Alex Iorjaa ‘m’ of Gboko L.G.A of Benue State
A black coloured Toyota Hilux with Reg No. NBB 03 AH (Nasarawa), a jack knife, and some military accoutrements were recovered from them. Suspects will be charged in court soon.”.
The CP said the police are currently investigating the matter, and the hunt for the serving military officer is ongoing.
He reassured that the FCT Police Command, under his leadership, will do all within its power to prevent crime and criminality in all of its forms and ensure the safety of all.