A 16-year-old secondary school student in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, is under police investigation after allegedly staging her own abduction and demanding ₦2 million from her family as ransom.
The student, an SS2 pupil at a private secondary school located on Watchman Street in Abakaliki, was reported missing after she failed to return to school at the start of the third term. Her disappearance quickly sparked panic among her family members, only for police to later uncover that it was all a hoax.
According to the spokesperson of the Ebonyi State Police Command, SP Joshua Ukandu, the teenager connived with a family friend to carry out the plan. She reportedly left home to buy second-hand clothes, commonly known as Okirika, and instead went to the friend’s house.
While there, she used the family friend’s phone to send a message to her brother, claiming she had been kidnapped and demanding ₦2 million for her release. When her brother asked to speak with the kidnappers or know her location, she refused and blocked his number.
In a bid to make the story believable, she later claimed she had been tapped from behind while shopping and lost consciousness—only to wake up the next day at Ishieke Junction. She said she asked for directions back to town but chose not to return home, instead heading to the family friend’s house where she initiated the fake ransom demand.
The situation took a turn when the police tracked the phone number used in the ransom message. A raid was swiftly carried out, leading to her arrest and that of those involved in the scheme.
Ukandu confirmed that the girl has been reunited with her family, but investigations are still ongoing, especially due to her age. He added that the case serves as a warning to others, stressing that such acts of deception could lead to serious legal consequences.
The command also urged families to monitor their children closely and report any suspicious behaviour promptly to security agencies.
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