What began as a desperate search for a supposedly kidnapped woman has taken a dramatic twist after police investigators reportedly found her safe in a Delta State hotel, allegedly spending time with a lover while family members and sympathisers struggled to raise millions of naira for her release.
The woman, identified as Mrs. Oluchi, had been reported abducted in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, triggering widespread concern among relatives, friends and supporters both within Nigeria and abroad.
Family members, including her daughter based in Canada, had launched public appeals for assistance after alleged kidnappers initially demanded N50 million and later reduced the ransom demand to N20 million.
However, investigations by security operatives reportedly uncovered a different narrative.
According to a source familiar with the investigation, police tracked the telephone number of a man allegedly connected to the incident to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State, where both individuals were eventually located.
The source said, “Police traced the number of the man to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State. They met the man and the kidnapped woman inside a hotel. They called the husband, and he was happy. It was at the station that the police broke the news to him. The wife begged the husband not to tell her children what actually transpired.”
The revelation has left family members devastated, particularly her daughter, Anita, who had actively campaigned online for support and assistance during the period she believed her mother was being held captive.
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In an emotional video posted online after learning the outcome of the investigation, Anita described the discovery as heartbreaking and said the incident had caused immense damage to her family.
According to her, “My mum has been released. My mum is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom. The family is in shock. This is not right. This has shattered my family. My dad has some health issues. This is so unfortunate. What did I do wrong?
“My reputation has been ruined. I am short of words. I am so mad. I have no hand in this. I never knew. I only wanted my mother back home. The law will take its course. I am sorry this is happening. I only did what any daughter would do. My family has been shattered.
“We were called that my mum has been released. We didn’t pay the kidnappers. The money is intact. We are going to make a refund. We involved the Police from the beginning. We now know it was not a real kidnapping. They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship. The guy was traced. They had agreed to take what we already raised to N20m.”
The controversy has also prompted a reaction from the Harmony Ladies Club, a social group to which Anita belongs. The organisation publicly distanced itself from the incident and expressed disappointment over the outcome of the investigation.
In a statement circulated among members and later made available to journalists, the group said it had mobilised significant support after receiving news of the alleged abduction.
The statement read, “When news of her alleged abduction broke, the club acted swiftly in good faith. Out of sisterhood, love, and a sense of community responsibility, we rallied immediately.
“Our members provided extensive emotional, logistical, and financial support during what we believed was a life-threatening crisis, carrying the heavy burden of anxiety alongside her family.
“It is with a profound sense of betrayal that we have now discovered, through investigations, that the entire kidnapping incident was staged by Mrs. Oluchi herself.”
Meanwhile, the Edo State Police Command has confirmed that arrests have been made in connection with the matter.
The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, disclosed that investigators are continuing their work and that multiple suspects are already in custody.
She added, “I can confirm the incident and also let you know that four people have also been arrested in connection with the incident.”
The case has generated widespread public reaction, particularly because it involved emotional appeals for financial assistance and public support before investigators uncovered what police now believe was a carefully orchestrated deception.
Authorities are expected to continue their investigations as legal proceedings against those implicated in the alleged plot move forward.
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