27-year-old woman fakes kidnap, collects N5m ransom from husband
Police operatives have arrested a 27-year-old woman, Chioma Success Ezebie, for allegedly orchestrating her own abduction and collecting a ₦5 million ransom from her husband.
Chioma reportedly staged the fake kidnapping alongside her three-year-old son on October 27, 2025. She enlisted the help of a 23-year-old accomplice, Martins Chidozie, who contacted her husband, Paul Adaniken, claiming both mother and child had been abducted.
This was contained in a statement issued by ASP Eno Ikoedem, Deputy Spokesperson for Edo State Police Command on Tuesday in Benin City.
Following the report, the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit launched a cyber-tracking and intelligence-led investigation, which led to the arrest of Osita Godfrey, 33, a cousin of the supposed victim.
Police said Godfrey, initially believed to be assisting the investigation, was later found to be complicit in the scheme.
According to the police, Godfrey’s confession led to Chioma’s arrest.
Investigations revealed that she conspired with others to fake her abduction in a bid to extort money from her husband.
“All suspects have made useful confessional statements.
“The ₦5 million ransom has been recovered, and the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution,” the police stated.
The Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended officers of the New Etete Division for their swift and strategic response, which exposed the fraudulent act.
He also urged residents to refrain from actions that could disrupt public peace, reaffirming the Command’s commitment to using intelligence and technology to combat crime in all its forms.
