Police React as Man, Wife, Girlfriend, Sister Fake Kidnap, Demand N5m Ransom from Family

• Four individuals, including a man, his wife, girlfriend, and her younger sister, have carried out a failed kidnapping scheme to extort N5 million from the girl’s father
• FCT police command arrested them and uncovered that they had faked the teenage girl's kidnap and also demanded ransom
• The command's public relations officer, Josephine Adeh, confirmed this in a statement and shared further details

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested four individuals, including a man, his wife, girlfriend, and her younger sister, over a staged kidnapping scheme aimed at extorting N5 million from the girls’ father.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command public relations officer, Josephine Adeh, in a statement, alleged that the kidnap was orchestrated by two sisters, Joy Innocent and her younger sibling, 16-year-old Lead Way Innocent, in collaboration with Joy’s boyfriend, Mayowa Adedeji, and his legal wife, Tina Mayowa.

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N5 million ransom demanded from girl's father

The incident unfolded when the girls’ father, Mr. Innocent, a resident of Jikwoyi Phase II, reported to the police on July 30, that his teenage daughter had been missing since July 18, after leaving home to write an exam at Government Secondary School, Karu.

He later received a call from an unknown number demanding N5 million ransom for her release.

In a swift move, the divisional police officer in Jikwoyi launched an investigation using intelligence and digital tracking, which led officers to a residence within the same community.

There, they found the supposedly abducted teenager, Lead Way Innocent, sitting calmly and chatting with Mrs. Mayowa, far from the condition of a distressed kidnapping victim.

Further investigation by the Force uncovered the truth, Lead Way had not only faked her own abduction but was an active participant in the extortion scheme.

Her older sister, Joy, remained at home and feigned ignorance, watching their father suffer emotionally as he struggled to raise the ransom money. Both girls had conspired with Joy’s boyfriend, Mr. Adedeji, who involved his wife, Tina, to complete the ploy.

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“All four suspects have confessed to the crime and are currently in police custody,” Ms Adeh, a superintendent of police, said.

“They will be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.”

Reacting to the development, the FCT commissioner of police, Ajao Sunday Adewale, described the act as “a deeply troubling betrayal within the family.”

As reported by Premium Times, the commissioner reiterated that all attempts to manipulate familial bonds for criminal gain will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted.

Read related articles here:

• Police arrest 16-year-old student who fakes own kidnap
• "We wanted to buy property in Lagos": Man and wife stage fake kidnap to extort N5m from family
• 19-year-old boy fakes own kidnap, loses N365,000 ransom to thieves
• Kaduna police arrest pastor for staging his own kidnap

Police arrests man who faked his kidnap

Similarly, Legit.ng reported that a young man failed in an attempt to defraud his own family despite faking his kidnap.

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The FCT police arrested the man as contained in a statement issued on Saturday, January 20.

SP Josephine Adeh, the police spokesperson, disclosed also that the reports of kidnap in River Park Estate were untrue.

Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng