Marriage Expenses Force 29-Year Old Lady to Fake Kidnapping

The Delta State Police Command has continued to record operational milestones in its relentless war against crime and criminality in the state. 

In an operation, operatives of the Command successfully arrested a suspected fake kidnapper and her accomplices.

The arrest on 21st July, 2025, followed the the Command’s  receipt of a report of an incident involving a female victim who was allegedly abducted by unknown armed men in the Bonsaac area of Asaba, now known as 

Acting promptly on the report, the Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, directed the Commander Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, CSP Godwin Osadolor, to ensure that the victim was rescued unhurt. 

Pursuant to the directive, the Command led operatives and launched a coordinated intelligence-driven operation.

According to a statement by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, through diligent investigative efforts and strategic deployment, the operatives, on 22nd July, apprehended one Alfred Elisha ‘m’ at Koka roundabout, Asaba, and another suspect, Ugochukwu Adim ‘m’, off DLA road, Asaba.

Upon interrogation of the suspects, they confessed that it was not a case of an actual kidnapping but a plot with the victim, 29-year old Merit Eleh.  

Eleh confessed that she got involved in the crime because she needed to pay back the three-point-six million naira (N3,600,000) loaned to her by her brother for her wedding, which took place in March 2025. 

She further said she faked her kidnap and received a ransom of three million naira (N3,000,000) from her husband out of which she gave her accomplices five hundred thousand naira (#500,000), and took two-point-five million naira (#2,5000,000) for herself. 

The PPRO said all the suspects are in custody and the incident under investigation.